The Family Name
by Elbereth in April
Summary: Artemis-Harry Potter Crossover. Artemis learns he is a wizard. Put one unethical child genius in Hogwarts and watch the schemes and rivalries unfold. COMPLETE
1. 1

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Copyright 2003  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Artemis Fowl or their books. I admit only to obsession.  
  
Timeline:  
  
After Artemis Fowl Book 1  
  
During Harry Potter Book 2  
  
An owl landed on an open window, carrying two messages. Juliet was the one to let it in. She informed Artemis and Mrs. Fowl right away. The 12- year-old boy and his mother stared at one another, then at their letters. Mrs. Fowl smiled, shrugged, and opened hers up. Artemis studied his.  
  
"To Artemis Fowl, Fowl Manor, Ireland," read the envelope. He could not imagine who had sent it, try though he did. Finally he opened the letter. "Dear Mr. Fowl, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Due to various circumstances, your magical training has been delayed somewhat, but that will not be a problem. We are confident that with basic tutoring this summer, you will be able to start school as a second year, with other students your own age. You would need to report to the castle of Hogwarts on June 15. Enclosed is your list of all necessary books and equipment. . ." Artemis had read this three times before his mother spoke.  
  
"This letter informs me that magic actually exists, that you are a wizard, and that wizards and witches have been in the Fowl line since its beginnings. They want you to attend wizards' school."  
  
Artemis nodded.  
  
"What do you think, Arty?"  
  
"I. . ." How to respond? He was honestly stunned. For a few seconds, he thought his brain had actually stopped thinking, and that was a phenomenon undreamt of all by itself. He had known magic was real for some time, of course. He had discovered the existence of magic and fairies all on his own, and a good 6 months previously had captured and held for ransom a member of the LEP Recon police, met a kleptomaniac dwarf, outwitted a centaur, been a witness to the stoppage of time, a battle with a troll, and fairy healing powers. He owed his mother's regained sanity to it, in fact.  
  
"I can believe it. . ."  
  
"You know what? So can I." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "But what I meant was, what do you think about studying there? Would you want to? What are your career plans?"  
  
"My career plans? To carry on the Fowl name, create Fowl Enterprises. Patents. Investments." Illegal activities, he added, but not out loud. Did magic fit into these things? And what did they mean, his training had been delayed?  
  
"Look at some of the things you'd be studying! Potions, Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts. . . oh my!"  
  
But Artemis had taken hold of one word and started mentally exploring the possibilities. Transfiguration. Turning something into something else. Say. . . lead into gold?  
  
"I think I'd like to try it," Artemis said firmly.  
  
___________ ____________  
  
Angeline Fowl's letter described a place where they could get all his school supplies: Diagon Alley. It gave instructions how to get there. They would start by acquiring his first year supplies for the summer.  
  
"We'll all go to London this weekend, then," Mrs. Fowl decided happily.  
  
"All?" Artemis tried to hide his dismay.  
  
"Certainly! This place sounds exciting!"  
  
Artemis shuddered.  
  
___________ ____________  
  
Juliet was jumpy. She was also fascinated, as was Angeline. The two ladies walked in front, wide-eyed, with Artemis a few steps behind, trying to pretend he wasn't with them, and Butler a step behind him, senses heightened, checking for traps and assassins.  
  
The two days before this outing Artemis had spent investigating every possible source regarding witches, wizards, and Hogwarts School, and had come up with quite a bit of information regarding magic theories, Diagon Alley, Gringotts Bank, the Ministry of Magic, Albus Dumbledore, purebloods, Muggles, the school and its founders, a bloke called the Boy Who Lived, and a wizard tyrant called the Dark Lord, He Who Must Not Be Named, Voldemort. He was frankly amazed.  
  
He had a man waiting at their hotel in London when they arrived with a sack of money Artemis had had changed from pounds to Galleons at Gringotts Bank. He hadn't wanted to go to the trouble himself with his mother and Juliet along. The sack was passed over and the man (a Squib) paid a fee, and then he melted away.  
  
The Fowl party went on to Diagon Alley. Artemis had been impressed by the moving brick wall, and considered adding something similar to Fowl Manor.  
  
Now they were all striding along, trying not to look like they were gawking.  
  
"Ooh! Look at that! The pictures move!" Juliet squealed.  
  
Well, most of them were.  
  
"Oh, look at the kitties, they're adorable!" Mrs. Fowl clapped her hands.  
  
OK, half their group.  
  
"Look at the robes!" Juliet cried. "And the pointy hats!"  
  
A couple turned around. "Are you insulting our hats?"  
  
"No, they're adorable!" Juliet was beside herself with glee.  
  
The couple shook their heads and walked away. A large, stocky man stopped and sneered at her. "How did a Muggle get in here? We're not a tourist attraction!"  
  
Juliet started to flush. She didn't know what a Muggle was, but she understood his tone of voice. "There's no call to be rude."  
  
The man laughed. It was not a nice laugh. Butler moved to stand beside his sister, but before he could get any closer, she had grabbed the man's arm, twisted him around, and suplexed him. It looked quite painful.  
  
"So that's what a suplex is," Artemis mused. "I'd been wondering."  
  
"I'm not going to allow Juliet to watch so much wrestling any more." Mrs. Fowl winced, horrified.  
  
Everyone in the vicinity had stopped to watch, but most appeared amused, as the man wasn't very popular. From further down the street, however, more people were rushing towards them. "This may be a good time to make ourselves scarce," Butler whispered to Artemis.  
  
"Right." Artemis took charge. "Well, first things first. Books. This store seems promising." He stepped across the street and into Flourish and Blott's. The others followed.  
  
Artemis had to admit, all those books excited him. They were full of hidden knowledge, waiting for him to soak it up, promising secrets to be revealed. He picked out the books on his list and added a few more just for curiosity. What would there be to do besides read, anyway? He'd discovered to his extreme dismay that most forms of technology wouldn't work at Hogwarts--cell phones, computers, not even electricity! He'd almost changed his mind about going, until he'd rigged some of the fairy technology he'd stolen into a combination computer-communicator. He had to keep up on his illegal enterprises, his search for his father. . . and be able to keep in touch with Butler, of course. He was pretty sure they wouldn't allow his bodyguard to camp out in his dorm room.  
  
Artemis shook his head and remembered what he was doing. He checked out the window. The crowd had mostly dispersed, and the man Juliet had injured was gone. "On to dress robes."  
  
This led them to Madam Malkin's, who looked at them strangely but didn't comment except to say, "Doing your school shopping early, are you?"  
  
"I believe in planning ahead."  
  
"What lovely fabrics you have." Mrs. Fowl smiled charmingly at the lady.  
  
Madam thawed. "Thank you. Stand here and I shall fit you." She began pinning robes around him. Butler watcher her closely, to make sure she didn't stick his charge with pins.  
  
"Is this your family?" she asked.  
  
"I'm his mother."  
  
"Ah." Madam eyed the other two, but they remained silent. "Muggles, are you?" she asked at last.  
  
Juliet frowned. Butler looked at his baby sister nervously, but she wasn't moving to hammer Madam, whose tone had been polite, seeming only curious. "What is a Muggle?" Juliet demanded at last.  
  
"That's a non-magic user, dear."  
  
"Oh. Well. I guess we are."  
  
"That's all right, dear. All finished," she addressed Artemis.  
  
He regarded her coolly. He hoped she wasn't expecting a tip, because after that, she wasn't getting one.  
  
After they left Malkin's, they bought his cauldron, and his other equipment, and a tawny yellow owl that Artemis had named Aureus. He dragged his mother and Juliet away from the kittens and out of the store.  
  
"All that's left now is the wand," Butler reported.  
  
"Very well. I was told to try Ollivander's. Shall we?"  
  
Angeline sighed and linked her arm through her son's. "You sound so grown up, Arty! Of course, you always have, but watching you buy all this for a new school, a new career path. . . it just brings it all home."  
  
Artemis blushed. "Mother. . ."  
  
"And you'll be boarding away in a whole other country!" She was teary eyed now. Artemis's look was desperate.  
  
"I will look after him, Mistress Fowl," Butler said. "I have decided to take up residence at the neighboring town of Hogsmeade in case Artemis needs me."  
  
Artemis looked at him. "Did some research on your own, did you?"  
  
Butler half-smirked at him. Artemis gave up and smiled back. Mrs. Fowl gripped Butler's arm with her other hand. "Oh, thank you, Butler!"  
  
"Here's the store," Juliet pointed cheerfully.  
  
Artemis carefully disengaged his mother as he reached for the door and motioned graciously for her to precede him in.  
  
It was a small shop, quiet, with an almost hallowed feel. Even Juliet was strangely awed and silent. A man came out from the back, from between stacks and stacks of piled boxes. "Greetings," he said.  
  
"Good afternoon. I need a wand."  
  
The man came to stand just in front of him, appraising him carefully. "Hold out your wand arm, please."  
  
Artemis scrutinized him in turn and did so. Mr. Ollivander proceeded to magically measure him. "Every wand has a core of a magical substance," he told him. "No two wands are alike. You always get the best results with your own wand. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstrings. And various types of wood."  
  
Mr. Ollivander dug around the boxes, then set a few on the counter. "Try this one. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy."  
  
Artemis took it in his hand and looked at it.  
  
"Give it a wave," the shopkeeper instructed.  
  
Artemis did. A chip of wood thunked out of the counter. Ollivander snatched the wand back. "No. Rowan and unicorn hair, ten inches. Try it."  
  
Artemis barely had it in his hand when the man took it back. "No, no. Try this one. Ash and unicorn hair, nine inches."  
  
The others watched bemusedly as Artemis waved around various wands. Mr. Ollivander never seemed to grow discouraged, he simply kept producing more boxes.  
  
"What's supposed to happen?" Juliet whispered.  
  
Butler shrugged.  
  
Wand number seven was "Oak and dragon heartstring, nice and flexible. Eight and a half inches. One doesn't generally see dragon heartstrings mixed with oak. Go on, try it."  
  
When Artemis took it in his hand, he knew. There was a tingling that started in his fingers and ran up to his elbow, making his heart beat harder as he raised the wand and gave it a swish. Sparks crackled from the tip of it and rained down like water, reflecting blue and gold on the counter and the walls, and Artemis's eyes.  
  
"Cool!" Juliet exclaimed.  
  
"Very good, very good!" the old man seemed delighted as well. So did his mother, and even Butler.  
  
"What was your name, young man?" Ollivander asked as Artemis paid for the wand.  
  
"Artemis Fowl."  
  
"Fowl," the man repeated. "As in Lord Hugo de Fole?"  
  
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "Yes."  
  
"He was a powerful wizard, Hugo de Fole. I remember him. Willow and dragon heartstring, twelve inches."  
  
"How could you remember him?" Angeline frowned. "He lived during the 11th century."  
  
"Ah, my dear lady," returned Ollivander, "I'm older than I seem."  
  
"That's pretty old," Juliet said frankly, staring at him hard.  
  
"It's getting late, Arty, let's go." Angeline plucked at his sleeve nervously.  
  
"As you say, Mother," he replied absent-mindedly, looking partly at the man and partly at his wand. Then he smiled. Butler noticed he had been doing that a lot more than was normal lately. "Goodbye."  
  
"Goodbye, Artemis Fowl."  
  
__________ __________  
  
The Hogwarts Express didn't run in July, and the castle couldn't be reached by ordinary means. But Mrs. Fowl's letter had included an envelope marked "Do not touch what's inside until you need transport. This is a Portkey. It will take you automatically to Hogwarts Castle."  
  
So after Juliet and his mother had got on the plane that morning, Artemis put one hand on his trunk and one on the cage of his owl. Butler put one hand on Artemis's shoulder and picked up the Portkey with the other. The next thing they knew, they stood in front of a lake with the castle just beyond.  
  
They looked up at the castle. "Imposing, isn't it?" Butler mused.  
  
"Most impressive," Artemis agreed. "Well, here I go."  
  
"I shall walk up to the castle with you. I have to be sure that you will be treated properly."  
  
"I don't think you need to worry, but all right."  
  
It somewhat disturbed Butler that Artemis, normally so cautious, didn't seem more distrustful.  
  
When they reached the edge of the grounds, a giant of a man was waiting for them. Butler instantly went on guard.  
  
"'Ello," the giant man smiled cheerfully. "I'm Hagrid. I'm here to take you up to the castle."  
  
"What is your official capacity?" Butler inquired in a way that combined politeness and threat.  
  
Hagrid looked a bit taken aback. "I'm the Gamekeeper. And I always escort first years. They have to get across the lake somehow." He pointed to the boat on the shore.  
  
"Relax, Butler," Artemis instructed with a calm, coaxing nod. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, you can take him even on a boat," he added in a whisper.  
  
This was probably true, but the man was enormous. Butler wasn't used to many people being bigger than him. However, Artemis was already following the man to the boat.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore'll be seein you right away," Hagrid said. "He's the Headmaster here. Great man." Butler and Hagrid eyed each other warily the whole ride, while Artemis inspected the castle and its grounds.  
  
Dumbledore was waiting for them just inside the front entrance. "Hello, Mr. Fowl," he greeted him. "And Hagrid. And who are you, sir?"  
  
"Butler," Butler replied. "I came to make sure that Artemis got settled in."  
  
"I see, of course. Not to worry. We'll take good care of him while he's here." Dumbledore smiled gently. Somehow, Butler found himself trusting him.  
  
"We'll have your trunk and your owl sent to your room," Dumbledore continued. "First, we'll go to my office and I'll explain to you how your lessons will be scheduled this summer."  
  
"And the. . . delay in my education that the letter mentioned? Will you explain that?"  
  
Dumbledore looked at him gravely. "I will."  
  
"Very well then."  
  
"I shall go back to my residence then," Butler said, very reluctant to leave. He'd never faced a separation from Artemis like this.  
  
Now that it came down to it, Artemis felt a bit strange, too. It was as if. . . he was going to be deprived of one of his five senses; he felt an anticipatory ache he couldn't quite explain.  
  
"I'll be in contact." Artemis met his eyes. Something passed between them, then Artemis reached out and shook Butler's hand. "I'll contact you tonight."  
  
"Thanks. Be careful, Artemis. Stay out of trouble."  
  
A half-grin. "Butler, when have I done otherwise? Don't answer."  
  
Butler smiled at him, then turned and went back down the steps. "Hagrid, take him back across the lake, would you?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Certainly, Professor!" Hagrid joined him and they walked away.  
  
Artemis took a deep breath and focused his attention on Dumbledore.  
  
____________ ___________  
  
A/N: A couple similarities between this and my other Artemis/Harry crossover will occur, but only in very small details. These are going to be completely different stories. So feel free to read both. ( 


	2. 2

The Family Name, Chapter 2

By Elbereth in April

Timeline:

All the events in Artemis Fowl Book 1 have just recently happened. He is aware of Holly and the other People (although they won't be mentioned in this story right away)

Takes place just before Harry Potter Book 2 (Chamber of Secrets)

"This way then." Dumbledore led him down the passages to his office, explaining about the shifting staircases, the Forbidden Forest, Filch and Mrs. Norris, the four Hogwarts Houses and their founders, all as they walked along.

They reached the statue that stood guard to the Headmaster's office. "Sweet tarts," Dumbledore said, and the statue moved aside as a staircase rotated into view.

Once inside his office, Dumbledore waved Artemis to a seat. "While you are here this summer, you will need to catch up with the other students of your year. That means a crash-course in all the first year subjects. Intensive training until you're ready for second year to start."

"Fine. I've already started reading the books."

Dumbledore nodded. "And the library will of course be open for your disposal. Except the Restricted Section, obviously. You will be taught by Prof. Snape, Prof. McGonagall, and myself. I have your schedule right here." He held up a slip of paper. "But. . . you wanted to know about the delay."

"Yes."

Dumbledore regarded him for a moment. "Your magic started showing up at age 7. That's early for a wizard. Children are capable of doing great damage at that age because they have not learned control. Your magic was blocked by the Ministry until you reached school age. Fairly standard procedure. Except they left it on a year longer than they were supposed to. For one thing, your father had just disappeared, and your mother. . . had not yet recovered. It was felt you needed time to adjust."

"Was it." His tone did not make this a question.

"But mostly, Artemis, the Minister was afraid."

Artemis had not expected this. "What?"

"Your genius is well known, Mr. Fowl. As is your penchant for crime and plots for wealth. It was felt that another year might bring you greater maturity. No one wanted you to use your magic on poor Muggles to, say, try to take over Ireland for its treasury. Truthfully, the Minister might have never lifted the block on your magic if it hadn't been for one thing." He peered at Artemis over the top of his glasses. "It started fading on its own. This almost never happens. Either your magic is particularly strong or you ran across some outside magical influence."

'The fairies,' Artemis realized. His presence around all the fairy magic.

"The Ministry decided that it would be detrimental to you to try to reapply the block a second time. So they knew your magic would be coming back to you, anyway. They lifted the block, but they were still worried. They wanted you put where closer surveillance could be kept on you. Namely, here."

Artemis frowned. "I have no intention of being spied upon by the Ministry of Magic or anyone else."

"Ah, well, happily, I agree with you. You must be allowed to make your own choices, not watched like a bug under glass. I told Cornelius Fudge no Ministry spies would be present in my school, and I wanted no part of it. I said they'd had no right to continue the block and it was high time it was removed and you were allowed to come study at Hogwarts like any other 12- year-old. I argued until the Ministry and the Council eventually agreed with me and removed the block. And I invited you here."

There was a great deal about this story and this situation that Artemis did not like. However, he couldn't do a great deal about most of it. Indeed, most of it was past, over and done with, no use lamenting. . . time to work it to his advantage. "I see."

"Lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered, taking a bag of sweets from his desk drawer.

"No. Thank you. So I won't be. . . watched?"

"No more than any other student. I see no reason to treat you differently."

"Why didn't you just start me as a first year?"

"I wanted you to be with students your own age. Granted, a year's difference isn't that much, but you'll already be far more intelligent than most of them. Why widen the gap and make it harder for you to get along? Students should enjoy themselves as well as learn. Friends are important."

Artemis stared at him, rather uncomprehending. "Whatever. At any rate, I'm here now. I can handle cramming a year's lessons into one summer. I'm ready to start."

"Good, good. One more formality then. You need to be sorted into one of the four Houses."

"OK. How does that work?"

Dumbledore stood up and from a high shelf took down a battered, pointed hat. "The Sorting Hat!" he proclaimed. "I put this on your head, and it tells us where you fit."

"A hat?" Artemis asked in disbelief, but just then the Hat in the professor's hands burst into song. 'O-kaaay,' Artemis thought. 'This is my life from now on. *What* have I gotten myself into?'

When the song ended, Dumbledore placed the hat on Artemis's head. He heard it speaking, although apparently the Headmaster did not. "Hmm," it said. "What have we here? An awesome intellect, instinctual arrogance, cunning, long-range planning, towering ambition, and a basic ruthlessness. True, you're also loyal and fairly brave, but the choice is clear. Slytherin!" it finished in a loud voice.

"As expected," Dumbledore murmured, removing the hat from his head. Artemis smoothed back his hair.

"Very well then. You belong to Slytherin House. You will be given a bed in their dormitories. Prof. Snape is the Head of Slytherin. You will be meeting him next. Here, take your schedule."

Prof. Severus Snape examined his new pupil. "Fowl," he mused. "I've heard that name before."

"There've been a number of wizards and witches in the Fowl line," Artemis said.

"Yes." They stopped in front of a plain, bare wall. "The password is cobra," Snape informed him, and the as the word left his lips, a hidden door in the wall slid open. Snape led him in.

They entered a long, low underground room with rough stone walls. Green lamps hung from the ceiling. An elaborately carved fireplace was set in one wall. Old high-backed chairs, and a wide couch, and a few tables were spread around the room.

"The Slytherin Common Room." Snape waved his hand. "The right hand passage leads to the girls' dormitories, and the left to the boys'. You will, of course, stay strictly to the left. I'll show you the chamber for second years where you'll be staying."

More stone. Stone walls, stone floor, stone ceiling. A number of four- poster beds with curtains, with trunks at the foot, and a couple of cupboards along one wall.

"Where's my owl?"

"Sent off to the Owlery. Feel free to explore the castle. You don't have any classes until tomorrow, except for broomstick instruction after dinner."

Artemis had explored the castle sufficiently enough that he found the Dining Hall in time to eat. One long table was set up in the middle of the room. A number of grown-ups were seated around it already. He recognized Hagrid, Dumbledore, and Snape.

He approached the table. "Hello, Mr. Fowl," Dumbledore greeted him. "Sit down, sit down."

He sat on the end farthest from Dumbledore, putting him across from a woman in what looked like a nurse's hat, and next to a short gnome-like man.

"Let me introduce everyone," said Dumbledore. "This is Professor McGonagall," indicating the woman next to him. "This is Madam Hooch and Madam Pomfrey. Hagrid and Professor Snape you already know. This is Professors Sprout and Flitwick. Ah, and here's the food."

The food platters magically appeared in front of them.

Artemis stayed on his best manners during dinner. It was a bit strange to be the only student with all these teachers, but he was used to hanging around adults, so it didn't bother him too much. Besides, Artemis Fowl *never* lost his composure. Still, he caught them glancing at him and then each other sometimes, and wondered what they were thinking.

After the meal, he stood with Madam Hooch out in the courtyard, a broomstick lying on the ground in front of him.

"Ready, Mr. Fowl? Then hold out you hand to command the broomstick. It should rise when you say 'Up.' Try it."

"Up." Nothing. "Up," more forcefully. The broom obeyed.

Artemis smiled and caught the broom with his hand.

"Very good. Now, mount the broom and rise just enough to hover above the grass. Then come back down. Ready? Push off with your feet. . ."

Artemis followed her instructions and found himself floating in the air about ten feet above the instructor. "Whoa," he said out loud, then smiled, unable to help it. He'd been doing an appalling amount of smiling lately, and couldn't even manage to feel disturbed about it. Everything was too exciting, too intriguing-too potentially advantageous. OK, flying honestly made him a little nervous, but he was doing it.

"Very good!" Madam Hooch called up to him. "Come back down now."

He did, then looked at her expectantly.

"You're going to get the hang of this quite nicely," Madam said, smiling at him.

"Thank you. I like it."

"They were wondering if you were evil," she told him frankly. "But you don't look it to me."

He hesitated. "I'm Slytherin. Apparently, that's the wicked, depraved House."

"Nonsense," scoffed Madam Hooch. "Well. . . granted, most of the wizards who turned to You-Know-Who were in Slytherin. But that doesn't mean just belonging to that House predestines you for evil. Why, I dated a Slytherin once, back in school, for two years. Only broke up because we graduated and he moved to Canada." She looked off in the distance and sighed, then cleared her throat. "Anyway, I don't think you're evil. Do you?"

He hesitated. She gave him a shrewd look. "Not-not irredeemably evil," he answered at last.

She quirked another smile. "I was in Ravenclaw myself. Probably the least studious Ravenclaw to come through this school. My mind was always on Quidditch."

"I keep hearing that mentioned. It's some sort of sport, right?"

Madam Hooch laughed. "Well, Mr. Fowl, when your flying lesson is officially done, I'll teach you about it."

"Seven players to a team," Artemis repeated. "Keeper stops the Chasers' quaffle. Beaters hit their bludgers at everybody, game ends when the Seeker catches the snitch."

"Do you play sports, Mr. Fowl?" Madam Hooch asked, putting the balls back in their case.

"No. But now that I'm aware of the basics, let's talk strategy."

Madam led them over to the Quidditch spectator stands and sat down in the first row. She had been anticipating a boring summer, and was quite enjoying the distraction. "All right. Let's."

Artemis didn't go back to the Slytherin dungeons until dark. He consulted his schedule for the next day. He had Potions with Snape right after breakfast, then History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Dumbledore, then Transfiguration and Charms with McGonagall, then lunch. During his free hour after lunch, Artemis wrote in, "Talk to M. Hooch more."

He had, for reasons he was still unsure of, quite liked Madam Hooch. Dumbledore he didn't trust, and Snape was too. . . too. . . secretive, and he went out of his way to be intimidating, instead of respected.

He sat down at the table in the Common Room and wrote on a piece of parchment with a quill. "Dear Butler, I can't believe I am not using a computer or a cell phone for this, but I thought that since it's not urgent, I'd send my first owl, and see how it works. I have met the Headmaster and a number of teachers. I have been Sorted into Slytherin House. Tomorrow I begin lessons. I'm certain things will proceed just fine." He paused and tapped his quill thoughtfully, not sure what to tell Butler about the block that had been put on his magic. Finally he sighed and decided not to mention it for now. "I will keep in touch. Artemis."

He walked to the Owlery, making mental maps of the castle as best he could. He found Aureus perched peacefully up in the rafters amongst the other owls, seeming content enough.

He called her down and attached his message to her leg. "Go deliver this to Butler," he instructed. "He's in Hogsmeade. I'll give you a treat when you get back."

Aureus hoo'ed and flew out the window.

It was two weeks later when he got company. Snape led two boys, carrying trunks, into the second years' dormitory.

"This is Crabbe and Goyle," Snape introduced them in his usual dry, almost sneering voice. "They are here to-retake a few courses in order to qualify for passing their exams and graduation from first year. Boys, this is Fowl. He's for classes, as well, although for an entirely different reason."

Artemis made sure the special lock on his trunk was secure-covertly, of course. He sat down on the bed with his copy of "Hogwarts: A History" and looked them over.

They'd be as big as Butler some day, but they'd never be as smart, or as capable, that was certain. "Crabbe and Goyle," he repeated.

Snape left the boys put down their things and stared at him. "Never seen you before," remarked Crabbe.

"Why are you here?" demanded Goyle.

"I was abroad last year," Artemis told them smoothly. "I have a little catch-up work to do before second year starts."

"What were you doing abroad?"

"Committing felonies, taking advantage of people, arranging miracles, and just generally being naturally intelligent and wealthy, thanks for asking."

Their mouths fell open and their eyebrows lowered, somewhat like frowning goldfish. Artemis could figure it out for himself now-these two were too stupid to pass, but too rich to be allowed to just fail. Probably had stupid but influential fathers. Just his lot to be stuck with them.

A/N: The name of his owl, Aureus, means Golden in Latin. And to answer a question, oh yes, there will be couples, but he's too young yet.

Thanks so much to everybody who reviewed! Feel free to go read my other Artemis/Harry crossover, "Blood to Gold."


	3. 3

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 3 ___________  
  
"Never seen you before," remarked Crabbe.  
  
"Why are you here?" demanded Goyle.  
  
"I was abroad last year," Artemis told them smoothly. "I have a little catch-up work to do before second year starts."  
  
"What were you doing abroad?"  
  
"Committing felonies, taking advantage of people, arranging miracles, and just generally being naturally intelligent and wealthy, thanks for asking."  
  
Their mouths fell open and their eyebrows lowered, somewhat like frowning goldfish. Artemis could figure it out for himself now--these two were too stupid to pass, but too rich to be allowed to just fail. Probably had stupid but influential fathers. Just his lot to be stuck with them.  
  
"Felonies? Really?" Crabbe said finally. "Cool!"  
  
"Are you Irish? You sound it."  
  
Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Yes. You mean you haven't heard of the Fowl Family?"  
  
"Um. . . no," they admitted, looking shame-faced.  
  
"Never mind. I'm sure you can be useful to me, anyway."  
  
They brightened. "Useful? How?"  
  
"You can tell me about what the other students are like here. Naturally, I'll form my own opinion when I meet them for myself, but a bit of insider's--I hesitate to call it knowledge--well, anyway, you can tell me what you know."  
  
They looked astounded. Apparently they weren't used to having anyone actually ask them things. Then Goyle grinned. "Sure! We can tell you lots!"  
  
"Yeah!" Crabbe exclaimed.  
  
They proceeded to do so, until Artemis was sorry he'd asked.  
  
____________ ____________  
  
Life settled down into a routine. Artemis was quite busy with class and homework, trying to do a year's worth of reading in three months. He was delighted with Transfiguration, and quite liked Charms and DADA, even if it was with Dumbledore, who he didn't trust. He was good at Potions, because he was so organized and methodical, but it wasn't his favorite. He didn't see much use for Care of Magical Creatures, and he quite detested Herbology. He didn't mind History of Magic, it was set up to be boring, but Dumbledore told him all kinds of side stories, and he'd always been good at reading between the lines. He spent some time each evening on his stolen, adapted fairy computer, keeping up-to-date on technology, investments, Muggle news, and his illegal operations, which he continued to run even from Hogwarts. He kept in close touch with Butler, and sent various expeditions searching for any trace of his missing father. He also kept tabs on how his mother was doing.  
  
Meanwhile, he didn't talk much to the other professors, except for Dumbledore, who was too sentimental and noble for his liking--and who he was convinced didn't like him, and Snape, who was sarcastic, sardonic, and yet not all unlikeable. He was very good at Potions, which Artemis quite respected, but he held himself too far separate, as if he were an adult who had seen too much for a mere, immature student to understand.  
  
Then there were Crabbe and Goyle, who followed him around whenever he didn't manage to lose them, usually one on each side, like a pair of bereft bookends.  
  
"Well, they normally follow Draco Malfoy," Madam Hooch explained to him one day. "They're sort of like the body to his head. Without a leader, they've attached themselves to you." She grinned. "Lucky you."  
  
"Morons annoy me," he complained.  
  
She laughed. "Now you know how teachers feel."  
  
He spent a percentage of his spare time each day talking to Madam Hooch, often about Quidditch, or the four Houses. . . or life in general. He couldn't explain why, he just liked her.  
  
Now he said, "They have a lot to say about Malfoy."  
  
"He's a big believer in pure-bloods. So many Slytherins are."  
  
"Well, it wouldn't make much sense for me to be, would it?"  
  
Hooch looked uncommonly grave. "I wouldn't advertise it amongst them."  
  
"No. I'll go around mentioning Lord Hugo instead." At her inquisitive look, he smirked. "Apparently, one of my ancestors. Very powerful wizard. He and Queen Maeve were lovers. I did some research after Ollivander mentioned him."  
  
"I'm afraid none of my ancestors were very famous."  
  
"That's OK. Just don't let your descendants say the same thing."  
  
"And do you intend to be famous, Artemis Fowl?"  
  
"Oh yes," he said. "Oh yes."  
  
___________ ___________  
  
Before Artemis knew it, summer was almost gone, and he was taking his final exams. The night before, Crabbe and Goyle had received a package full of Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Licorice Wands, and other treats. "Good luck, don't flunk. Cheat if you have to," the note read, signed: "Malfoy, Parkinson, Bulstrode, and Zabini." The boys dutifully shared the candy with Artemis.  
  
"That was nice of them," he said.  
  
Crabbe shrugged. "I'm sure it was all Malfoy's idea. The rest of them don't care."  
  
"Except maybe Millicent, on a good day."  
  
"I may end up marrying her, you know," Crabbe commented.  
  
Artemis raised his eyebrows. "Enamored of her, are you?"  
  
"No. Pure-blooded families arrange these things. Well, you'd know, I'm sure."  
  
Goyle snorted. "Pansy Parkinson is so sure she's going to get arranged to Draco, but there's no way. Not unless she gets a *whole* lot prettier."  
  
"Yeah, Draco's parents would never let him marry an ugly girl. They'd end up with ugly kids, and whoever heard of an ugly Malfoy? It would never do."  
  
"Ugly, is she?"  
  
"She looks like one of those dogs with the squished-in faces."  
  
Artemis laughed.  
  
"What kind of girls do you like, Artemis?" Goyle asked, eating another Pumpkin Pastry.  
  
"I just figure, I'll know her when the time comes."  
  
And so exams were taken, and Crabbe and Goyle scraped by, and Artemis excelled because he's who he is.  
  
That left them with one week before the new term started. Artemis took his fairy computer and his change of clothes and left everything else in the dorm. He met up with Butler outside the Hogwarts grounds. "I have my list of materials I need for second year," Artemis told him. "We'll go and get those before we go home. I am not taking Juliet and Mother back to Diagon Alley. Once was enough."  
  
___________ ____________  
  
"Just new books, mostly," Artemis reported, examining his list. "And I can get my own broom now! Madam Hooch says Nimbus 2001 just came out--it's the best!"  
  
Butler could hardly believe his ears. Artemis was talking in exclamation marks.  
  
He recovered himself quickly, however. "OK. Snape says now that we're clear of Hogwarts grounds, all I have to do is hold out my wand, and eventually. . ."  
  
Even knowing what to expect, he hadn't been quite prepared for the sight of an actual flying bus coming to a noisy stop in front of them. A young man opened the door.  
  
"Wanting the Knights Bus? We'll take you anywhere you want to go."  
  
"Yes. Diagon alley."  
  
"Stop just outside the Leaky Cauldron," he informed them brightly and a bit pompously.  
  
Artemis climbed aboard. Butler prepared to follow.  
  
"Here, he's not a wizard," the young man protested.  
  
Artemis gave him a look and Butler ostentatiously flexed his muscles. The man swallowed. "Fine. It's 11 each."  
  
Artemis paid him as Butler boarded. They found a seat in the back.  
  
Once at their destination, they found the wall, and Artemis tapped in the correct sequence of bricks. They entered Diagon Alley and headed off for Flourish and Blott's. "Business before pleasure, right Butler?" Artemis half-smiled.  
  
The store was quite crowded inside. Butler kept a space bubble around himself and Artemis for fear of his safety, and no one dared intrude too close. "What's with all the people?" Artemis wondered out loud.  
  
"Don't you know? Gilderoy Lockhart is signing his books today!" an awe- struck matronly witch overheard him and replied.  
  
"Lockhart. . ." Artemis looked at his reading list. That name was featured prominently. "Hmm."  
  
He looked at the line waiting for the wizarding author, who was flashing his teeth in a toothpaste-commercial smile. "Um." He did not inspire Artemis's respect. "Signing won't be necessary," Artemis said to Butler dryly. "But I do need some of his books."  
  
They were heading towards a display when a commotion at the signing table made them turn. "It can't be Harry Potter!" someone shouted. Lockhart was dragging a boy his age up to the front, and holding him in place long enough for a photographer to snap a picture.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen," the wizard announced, with that 100 watt smile, "as well as getting my books, Harry here will soon be graced with my presence as his new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!"  
  
"Lovely," Artemis muttered. "Wonder how much he gets paid for that." Artemis dismissed Lockhart from his thoughts then and watched the boy escape back to the line.  
  
So that was the famous Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived. He'd heard all about him, from a number of sources at Hogwarts, trying to get a less-biased picture. He casually strolled over to stand nearby him out of simple curiosity.  
  
So it was that he got to see Potter join up with a large redheaded family and a brown-haired girl and her parents, and to watch a boy his age, as blonde as one could possibly be, approach Harry with a twisted, scowling sneer on his face.  
  
"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" the blonde hissed. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."  
  
"Leave him alone, he didn't want it!" exclaimed a small redheaded girl, glaring at the boy.  
  
"Potter, you've got a girlfriend!"  
  
The girl blushed, and two more youth came over, the brunette and a redheaded boy. "Oh, it's you. Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"  
  
"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley." Ah, thought Artemis, then the girl must be Granger. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all these."  
  
Weasley went for him, but the other two pulled him back. Then an adult came over, and two more boys, and then another man as blonde as his son, and with the same twisted expression.  
  
The two men glared at each other. "Arthur Weasley."  
  
"Lucius."  
  
"Been keeping you busy at the Ministry--but they don't seem to be paying you well for it." He pulled a used, tattered book out from the girl's cauldron and examined it. "What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard, then?"  
  
Everyone was flushed and angry now. "We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy."  
  
"*Thought* so," said Artemis to Butler in satisfaction. "I *knew* that had to be Malfoy."  
  
The others were too busy listening to the grown-ups trade insults, but the blonde boy heard his name, and turned his head to meet Artemis's eyes.  
  
"You're Draco Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle speak of you all the time."  
  
Draco's chin went up. "You're Fowl. They owled me about you."  
  
The two boys scrutinized each other closely.  
  
"I've heard the name Fowl before," Malfoy admitted at last, grudgingly.  
  
Artemis started to say more, when they heard a crash and spun back to see Mr. Weasley tackle Mr. Malfoy to the ground. Draco's eyes got huge at this indignity.  
  
"That's unexpected," Artemis commented.  
  
Butler pulled Artemis back. "Stay out of range."  
  
"But I want to see Mr. Malfoy hex him," Artemis complained, mainly to see Draco's reaction.  
  
Draco half-glanced at him. "Well, of course my dad will win."  
  
But before any hexing could take place, Hagrid appeared from somewhere and pulled the two men apart. Both their faces were bloodied.  
  
"Here girl," Lucius snarled. He still had her book. "Take it--it's the best your father can give you. . ." He pulled away from Hagrid and swept from the store, beckoning Draco.  
  
Draco took another half-glance back at Artemis, and followed his father.  
  
Artemis waited a beat, then strode to the window to watch the Malfoys walk away. The elder was furiously straightening his clothes. The younger was shrinking back, as if nervous at the other's anger. Then Artemis turned around to watch the other group leaving, Mr. Weasley being scolded by his wife.  
  
"I think this year's going to be quite interesting."  
  
Butler groaned. "Don't tell your mother."  
  
___________ __________  
  
A/N: Next chapter: the Hogwarts Express, more Draco Malfoy. . . 


	4. 4 Hogwarts Express

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter4  
  
__________ ________  
  
Butler stood in King's Cross Station in between Platforms 9 and 10. He and his employer shook hands. "Watch out for yourself, Artemis," Butler said.  
  
"I will. Don't worry about me. You sure you trust Hagrid to get you to Hogsmeade?"  
  
Butler smiled. "I trust myself to make sure he does."  
  
Artemis gave a brief smile back. "Well, I'll go hurl myself at this wall then." He sighed. "There are certain aspects of magic that still disturb me."  
  
"You don't actually have to hurl, you know," said a voice behind them. They turned to see a handsome black-haired boy with a beautiful black-haired woman. "You can just sort of sidle."  
  
The boy looked to be his own age, and like him, wore Slytherin robes. He had a trunk on a trolley, and a hawk on his shoulder. "I'm Blaise Zabini."  
  
"Artemis Fowl," he replied automatically, then added, "the Second," because something about the pair screamed, "we respect lineage and money."  
  
"I'm Edie Nigellus Zabini," the woman introduced herself. She was pale, with deep red lips and a long brown dress sewn with onyx beads. She had a ruby on a chain around her throat. She was eyeing Butler in a way that made him distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
Artemis found this amusing. "Well then, should we sidle?"  
  
"Let's." The boy casually approached a stone pillar and pushed his way through it, trolley first. The hawk on his shoulder remained completely unperturbed.  
  
Artemis turned and gave Butler one last nod, then followed the other boy through.  
  
He found himself standing on a platform outside, the wind blowing in his face. Right in front of them, the Hogwarts Express waited, smoke rising from the engine.  
  
"You can't be a first year, not if you're wearing Slytherin robes," Zabini said suddenly, and Artemis realized Blaise was looking at him.  
  
"No, I'm second. I was abroad last year."  
  
"Europe?"  
  
"Amongst other places." Artemis started for the train.  
  
"Where's your luggage?"  
  
"It's at the school already. Zabini--now I remember. Your name was on the card for Crabbe and Goyle. The candy you sent, before their last exams."  
  
Zabini's eyes narrowed. "How did you know about that?"  
  
"I was there this summer. At Hogwarts. I had to make up a little work I missed while I was gone." Zabini shoved his trunk up the steps of the train. Artemis helped. "You know, that was good candy. I liked the chocolate frogs."  
  
"They'll sell those on the train," Zabini told him. "Hey, help me find an empty compartment to leave this in."  
  
So they walked down the aisle, looking through windows, until Artemis said, "There's Malfoy."  
  
Zabini stopped and looked in. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were arranging their luggage in an otherwise unoccupied compartment. Zabini knocked sharply, then opened the door.  
  
"Zabini!" Crabbe and Goyle echoed in greeting. "Fowl!"  
  
Draco's eyebrows raised as Artemis followed Zabini in. "You again."  
  
"Yes."  
  
The two examined each other again. Both wore custom-tailored, expensive clothes under their Slytherin robes. Both were pale and slenderly built, with striking eyes. Blue met gray now, stare for stare, radiating confidence and superiority.  
  
"Trying to subvert my friends, are you?"  
  
"Subvert? Do you have them under your authority?"  
  
"Who do you think you are, anyway?"  
  
"Artemis Fowl the Second."  
  
"Fowl? Artemis Fowl?" came a voice from the doorway. A person followed the voice inside. He was somewhat older--third or fourth year, Artemis decided. He, too, wore Slytherin robes. He had sandy brown hair and eyes.  
  
"Yes," Artemis identified himself warily.  
  
To his amazement, the Slytherin smiled with delight. "Keen! I'm Pucey, Adrian Pucey. I'm on the Quidditch team--I play Chaser. I'm from Belfast. I'm--familiar with the circles your family deals in--the Fowls are quite notorious, you know.  
  
Glad to meet you!"  
  
The other boys gaped at Pucey, then at Fowl. "What does that mean?" Draco demanded, scowling. "What circles?"  
  
"You know--the underworld. Black market, criminal element."  
  
"Criminals, eh?" Draco regarded Artemis darkly.  
  
"Naturally. It seems to me your family is a bit on the shady side as well," Artemis retorted, losing some of his normal cool, unshakeable calm.  
  
"Are you insulting my family name?"  
  
"Are you insulting mine?"  
  
They glared at each other.  
  
"Um, guys," Goyle ventured uncertainly, "don't fight."  
  
"Yeah, come on," Crabbe pleaded.  
  
"I know where you can buy chocolate frogs," Zabini put in, trying to distract them.  
  
Draco looked at Zabini. "Chocolate frogs?"  
  
"I like chocolate frogs," said Artemis.  
  
"Do you play Quidditch?" Pucey asked.  
  
"No, I *study* Quidditch," Artemis answered, to their confusion. "Strategy," he explained. "I'm a strategy man."  
  
"That could come in useful," Pucey grinned. "I've heard of a few little schemes you've pulled off--you're really clever."  
  
Draco scowled again. "If you're so smart, why aren't you in Ravenclaw?"  
  
Artemis looked at him and smiled in way that would have made Draco rethink his position, if he wasn't so Malfoy-ishly stubborn. "The Sorting Hat seemed to feel I was too ambitious, ruthless, and unethical for any other House." He shrugged. "I don't mind."  
  
"Slytherin is the best," Zabini declared.  
  
The train gave a sudden lurch then and they all looked out the window. They were moving. "We're on our way."  
  
"Yeah. Listen, I have to find Flint. Hey--want to meet him?" Pucey offered.  
  
"Why not?" He followed as Pucey headed for the door.  
  
"I think I'll just tag along," Draco said dryly.  
  
Marcus Flint sat with his feet propped up on his trunk. Two large goons sat on either side of him, separated by one empty seat. On the other side of the car were two girls with long blonde hair and vapid expressions.  
  
"Hey, Flint and company!" Pucey greeted them. "How was your summer?"  
  
"Frankly boring," Flint answered lazily. "My little sister drove me to distraction--that was the only excitement I had."  
  
"I was bored, too," Pucey said quickly. "But now, I wanted to introduce a new Slytherin to you."  
  
The three boys crowded into the compartment. Flint regarded him. "How can you be sure he's Slytherin if he's new?"  
  
"I've been Sorted." Artemis's gaze flicked around the various people present. He was definitely the most intelligent life-form there. 'I'm a second year, even though I wasn't able to attend Hogwarts last year. I was abroad."  
  
"He's apparently infamous in the world of Irish crime," Draco put in with a silky voice.  
  
"Not just Irish," said Artemis, and gave another one of his smiles that caused small shivers to run down Flint's spine. This kid was dangerous. There were two options: befriend him or kill him. And Hogwarts officials would probably notice his death.  
  
"Pleased to meet you, kid." Flint waved his hand benevolently. "Welcome to Slytherin House and all that. This is Derrick," he indicated the goon on his left, "and Bole," the goon on his right. "And that's Cassandra Kroell and her sister, Caitlynn."  
  
They giggled and waved. The goons grunted. Pucey sat down next to Cassandra.  
  
"Well, it's been grand meeting you all," Artemis forced a friendly half- smile, "but I'd best be getting back. It's important to mingle and network, you know."  
  
"True, but you've already just met the Popular People of the House. Still, I agree, you should socialize while you can."  
  
Artemis nodded and escaped. After a few moments, he heard Malfoy behind him. "Going back to *my* car, are you?" Draco drawled.  
  
Artemis opened his mouth to retort, when a door to a compartment slammed open in between them, and a girl stepped out into the aisle--a girl with wavy red hair.  
  
Malfoy covered his eyes dramatically. "Don't tell me!" He uncovered his eyes and leaned closer to the girl, staring her up and down. "Potter's girlfriend, the female Weasley."  
  
She took a step back and bumped into the door, which had closed behind her. Her mouth twisted. "You're the Malfoy boy! From the bookshop."  
  
"Yes, Draco Malfoy, that's me."  
  
She tried to brush past him. "Leave me alone."  
  
He moved over and blocked her path.  
  
"Ah, you're the kind who likes to bully younger girls," Artemis said coolly. They both looked over at him as if just remembering he was there. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed.  
  
"Would you rather have me bully *you*?" Draco scowled.  
  
"No, I'd rather have you tell me about Flint and Company, but you seem otherwise occupied. Shall I just wait here patiently then?" the last line was delivered with a good deal of sarcasm.  
  
"What is it with you, Fowl? You may be big in Ireland, but here you're nobody, see? The Malfoys are pure-bloods and you're obviously not. My father is a powerful wizard and influential in the wizarding community. What does yours do, huh?"  
  
Artemis's face closed off and he tensed before he could stop himself.  
  
Draco knew he'd made a hit. "He's probably some loser--a pickpocket maybe, since you're so into crime. He's probably a total imbecile. . ."  
  
"Just shut up," Artemis said very softly. How could he let this kid get to him? He was normally so calm and unrattled. All he'd wanted to do was stop him from messing with the girl, she looked so young and nervous. He took a deep breath but it was no use. Something about this boy had grated under his skin since he'd gotten on the train. He wanted to pound Malfoy's face in, and that was *certainly* unlike him. "Quit insulting him."  
  
"Why should I?" Draco sneered.  
  
Oh, if Butler were here. . . but he had other means now, right? His hand closed on his wand and he drew it out. "I'd prefer to just drop the whole conversation now and we'll both just walk away. Shall we?"  
  
"I'm not done bullying," Draco smirked. His own wand was in his hand.  
  
Ginny reached around him and opened the door to the compartment she'd come out of. Three redheaded boys looked out into the aisle and saw what appeared to be two Slytherins with wands drawn on their sister.  
  
They stood up immediately and came out into the hall. They all spoke at once.  
  
"What's going on here? Malfoy--dueling already?"  
  
"Get away from our sister!"  
  
"I can give you detention, you know. I'm a Prefect."  
  
Draco sneered at them all but realized his odds were pretty bad.  
  
"Get away from our sister, Slytherin trash!"  
  
Artemis looked at the girl and raised his eyebrows. "Prejudiced, aren't they?"  
  
"That other boy wasn't bothering me," she spoke up quickly. "Just Malfoy."  
  
"Who are you calling trash?" Draco snapped. "Considering the quality of your robes, which should have been relegated to burning some time ago--you dirt-poor, Muggle-loving, pathetic excuses for wizards!"  
  
"Ten points from Slytherin, Malfoy!"  
  
"School hasn't started yet, Weasley." Draco gave them all one last glare, then stalked off.  
  
Artemis sighed. "To the girl, sorry about that whole incident; to the one who insulted my House, yours is worse; and to the rest of you, I'm sorry I got out of bed this morning. Now I'm going to go find somewhere to sit that's not with Malfoy. Bye."  
  
The boys stood there, shocked and a little sheepish. He turned to walk away. "Wait! What's your name?" the girl asked.  
  
"I'm Artemis Fowl."  
  
"Why don't you and Malfoy like each other?" one of the boys asked.  
  
"Do you two look exactly alike or is my imagination?"  
  
Pause. "We're twins."  
  
"Bye," Artemis repeated, and walked away.  
  
_____________ _____________  
  
Draco Malfoy was not happy. He had almost dueled with an Irish Mudblood from his own House with a reputation for criminality. Why? Well, he mused, there was the fact that Mudbloods had no business being in Slytherin, but really, considering how few purebloods actually existed anymore, he bet most people had at least some taint, even in Salazar's House. 'And honestly. . . I don't think that's the reason.' Just. . . something about him. He acted so. . . arrogant, superior. As if being a Fowl, Mudblood and all, was 100 times better than being a Malfoy! As if that could ever be true!  
  
And *why* did everybody else like him? Crabbe and Goyle had written about him all summer. He'd thought the name Fowl sounded vaguely familiar, so he'd gone looking for it in different records. His family had apparently been around for a long time. Every few generations, he'd see a mention of it, often in connection with a magical discovery or invention. The greatest had been Lord Hugo de Fole, back in the 11th century. He'd even had a fling with some famous Irish witch--Queen Maeve, had her own chocolate frog card.  
  
Well, he'd show everyone that the name Malfoy was far superior to any Fowl, any day. And he'd start with Quidditch. He was going to show Potter what it meant to be a Seeker. Then everyone would notice him.  
  
Maybe even his father.  
  
_____________ ______________  
  
'So,' thought Artemis, 'where am I going now? I don't particularly want to join Malfoy in *his* car, even if I did sort of like Zabini. Should I wander around looking for more Slytherins?'  
  
"Ribbit."  
  
Startled, Artemis looked down. Directly in front of him sat a large green toad. It appeared to be staring at him. Artemis wrinkled his nose.  
  
A boy came bounding out of a compartment two doors along, wailing, "Trevor!"  
  
Artemis raised his eyebrows and pointed down. "This yours?"  
  
The kid's eyes lit up. "Trevor! You found him!"  
  
"I believe he found me." Artemis looked the happy kid up and down as he came rushing over. "Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Neville Longbottom, happy to meet--oh. You're Slytherin." Neville took a step back, clutching the toad precariously.  
  
"You're Gryffindor. Strange, I always heard you people had three heads, but you look normal to me."  
  
Longbottom opened his mouth, then shut it again. He smiled ruefully. "Pleased to meet you. What's your name?"  
  
"Artemis Fowl. Nice toad you have there." Not that he cared about toads.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
A girl stuck her head out of the door Neville had come from. "Did you find him?"  
  
"Yeah, he did," Longbottom replied, skipping off towards her.  
  
She left the compartment and came over.  
  
"You're Granger," Artemis said. "I saw you at the bookstore."  
  
Hermione blushed, remembering the fight there. "Oh. You are?"  
  
"Fowl."  
  
"If you're Slytherin, why have I never seen you before?"  
  
He was already tired of answering that question. "I'm second year, but I was abroad until this summer. Now I'm here."  
  
They examined each other. "I heard you're really smart," he added.  
  
She blinked. "Oh, um, thanks."  
  
"Well, you two have fun. I'm off to find chocolate frogs."  
  
"Try the end of the train. That's where the lady usually stays. But she'll come along from car to car pretty soon."  
  
"Thanks." He gave them a nod and walked on. Eventually he came to a compartment of Slytherin girls about his age. He thought it over, shrugged, and went in.  
  
_____________ ____________  
  
A/N: Now we're getting to the meat of the story. I find myself strangely compelled to give Malfoy's view of things, as well (I've been a bit Draco- obsessed lately). 


	5. 5

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Eva Bole," the black-haired girl finished introducing them. "And I'm Marie Chevalier."  
  
"Charmed," Artemis smiled and made a half-bow, and they giggled.  
  
"You might as well sit down and make yourself comfortable," Bole invited him. They were all examining him with great curiosity.  
  
He sat down in between Parkinson and Bulstrode.  
  
"So. Artemis Fowl," Chevalier began, as she returned to French-braiding Bole's hair. "You're a second-year Slytherin. And you're Irish."  
  
"That's right."  
  
"I love Irish accents," Bulstrode said with a simpering sort of smile.  
  
Artemis scooted slightly farther away from her.  
  
"What were you doing abroad?" Bole asked.  
  
Artemis thought rather quickly. "Studying, business, taking care of family affairs. You know."  
  
"Well," said Parkinson, "you're lucky you found us. We're some of the most popular people in Slytherin."  
  
"Marcus Flint just told me he was the most popular person in Slytherin."  
  
"Oh well, Flint," Bole waved her hand.  
  
"OK, for the second and third years--and I'm sure the first years will feel the same--we are the crowd to be with. For the fourth and fifth, it's Flint's group. The older kids tend to look down on the younger ones," Chevalier told him.  
  
Pansy looked smug. "Well, Malfoy's going to change all that!"  
  
They all looked at her. "How?"  
  
"He's going to be on the Quidditch team this year. As Seeker!" she announced importantly.  
  
"Malfoy?"  
  
"OK. . ." said Bulstrode slowly, "I can see that. He's a good flyer. But he's only second year. Almost no one can get on the team unless they're at least fourth."  
  
"Yeah," Bole frowned. "My brother's a Beater, and he said they had Shugart all lined up to take Higg's place. Shugart's sixth year."  
  
"Oh, well, not that Draco couldn't get in on pure talent, but his dad made a deal with Flint to buy the whole team brand new brooms if he got to be Seeker."  
  
Artemis leaned back in his seat and smirked. "He bought his way in."  
  
Parkinson shifted uncomfortably. "Only because they were too narrow-minded to *see* his talent."  
  
Artemis and Bole remained unconvinced.  
  
"No, he does fly well," Marie said. "I don't know if he can beat Potter, though."  
  
"You traitor!" Parkinson gasped. "We should throw you out of the House for that!"  
  
"I didn't say I *wanted* Potter to win," Chevalier protested, hands stilling in her braiding. "I just. . . well. . . you have to admit that Potter is a skilled Seeker, even if we should prefer otherwise."  
  
Parkinson scowled. "Draco will show Harry Potter! Just wait!"  
  
"He's a bit obsessed with Potter, wouldn't you say?" Artemis asked casually. "I think he should just get on with his life."  
  
Pansy and Millicent looked indignant, but Eva and Marie started laughing. "You've met him already?"  
  
"Earlier. And Zabini. I already knew Crabbe and Goyle."  
  
Bole nudged Chevalier. "Blaise Zabini," she sang. The other girls laughed. "She has a crush on him!" Bole told the puzzled Artemis.  
  
"I do not!" Marie blushed furiously.  
  
Artemis half-smiled. "I won't tell."  
  
A knock sounded on the door of their compartment and a woman entered with a large trolley. "Care for anything?"  
  
"Chocolate frogs," Artemis spoke up immediately.  
  
When Draco went looking for Pansy, after the announcement that they would arrive at the castle in 5 minutes, he found her and the other girls eating licorice wands and assorted chocolate treats, and trading frog cards with Fowl.  
  
"Why are you everywhere I go?" Draco asked, staring at Artemis with narrowed eyes.  
  
"We're in the same House and year."  
  
"Of course."  
  
The girls looked back and forth between them curiously. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," they both responded at once. Then they glared a little more.  
  
"We're almost to Hogwarts," said Eva.  
  
"Here we go again," Marie sighed.  
  
"I can't wait to watch you play Quidditch, Draco," smiled Pansy.  
  
"Where are the other guys?" Millicent asked.  
  
"It will be quite interesting sharing a room with you, Fowl," drawled Draco.  
  
"Let the games begin," said Artemis with a shrug.  
  
__________ ___________  
  
They all sat down at the table for the feast. In the bustle, Artemis wound up sitting between Pucey and Zabini, and across from Bulstrode. 'Well,' thought Artemis wryly, 'at least I'm surrounded by Popular People.'  
  
Artemis was intrigued to watch an official Sorting Ceremony. He watched faces to see who was talking to the Hat, and who just sat blankly waiting for a pronouncement.  
  
Artemis listened to the conversations swirling around him. Draco was bragging about his flying skills and how he was going to join the Quidditch team. Flint, on his other side, confirmed this, and Mr. Malfoy's "generous donation of top of the line racing brooms." Nimbus 2001. Better than Potter's.  
  
Everyone in Slytherin seemed just a bit obsessed with hating Harry Potter, which Artemis wondered about, until Crabbe and Goyle explained how the House Cup was taken away from them last year. Then he understood, as their bitter accusations of injustice rang out.  
  
Artemis looked over to the Gryffindor table. Potter wasn't there. He nudged Zabini. "Where is he?"  
  
Zabini craned to look. "You're right, he's missing."  
  
Pucey leaned over. "The rumor is, he and that Ronald Weasley flew a Muggle car to school. They were seen."  
  
Artemis and Zabini exchanged looks of disbelief. "That would be rather stupid."  
  
"Yeah, well--what do you expect?"  
  
"And Dumbledore's gone from the dais. I reckon they're being seen to."  
  
Bulstrode smiled. "I hope he's expelled."  
  
"Unlikely. He's *Potter,* after all," put in Parkinson. "Dumbledore's wonder boy."  
  
The feast eventually ended. They all trailed out to their respective Houses. Most people gathered around in the Common Room before they went up to their dormitories. Artemis overheard the seventh year Prefects talking in depressed voices.  
"No expulsion. I just heard from Prof. Snape." She kicked at the door dejectedly. "He had em, but then Dumbledore came along and turned em over to McGonagall."  
  
The boy made a face. "And of course she went easy on them."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Draco had pushed his way over to listen in. "That's so unfair!"  
  
Artemis turned to Zabini. "Why do the Malfoys hate the Weasleys so much?"  
  
"The Weasleys are purebloods, but they've disgraced themselves by associating with Mudbloods and defending Muggles," Zabini replied. He looked over to make sure Draco was still busy ranting to the Prefects. "Whereas Malfoys believe the world would be better if all Mudbloods and Muggles were wiped out." He crossed his arms uncomfortably, playing with his sleeves. "I think blood is important, too, but not to that extent. Purebloods should be top-ranked in the hierarchy, yes, and the only ones allowed in the Ministry and professional Quidditch, but we shouldn't be the only ones allowed to *live.*"  
  
"What do you do with--Mudblood--wizards who are more powerful than pureblooded ones?" Artemis asked, frowning.  
  
Zabini fidgeted a bit more. "There are exceptions to every rule. It doesn't mean anything."  
  
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "A good explanation of the world," he said, "doesn't have that many holes in it."  
  
Zabini looked away.  
  
"Anyway, I'm going to bed. Don't let Malfoy hex me in my sleep, all right?"  
  
Zabini looked back at him again and smiled. "OK."  
  
____________ ___________  
  
The next morning, Artemis stood sleepily in the boys' bathroom, combing his hair in front of the mirror.  
  
Draco casually glided over to stand next to him. "It's no use, Fowl. You'll never look as good as me."  
  
"Your hair's too crispy," he retorted.  
  
A first year at the sink giggled, then gulped and snuck away under Draco's death stare. Zabini came up from the other side. "Crispy. That's a pretty good description." He grinned.  
  
"Who asked *you,* Blaise?" Draco scowled at him before turning to the mirror.  
  
__________ ___________  
  
Draco felt someone kick him under the table. He dropped his bacon and glared at the person across from him.  
  
"It was an accident, honest," Artemis protested.  
  
Draco was debating kicking him back, when the air was split by a deafening voice. All heads swiveled to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Weasley's got a Howler," Goyle guffawed, his mouth full of scrambled eggs.  
  
"What a loser!" Crabbe agreed, laughing, as well.  
  
The plates and silverware were actually rattling, Draco noticed with detachment. His concentration was fixed on the pale redhead he despised. His grin widened as the Howler went on and on.  
  
". . . I GOT THE LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, HE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD HAVE DIED, I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED. . ."  
  
"What's a Howler?"  
  
Draco glanced over to where Chevalier was explaining to Fowl, "It's a magic letter! It speaks. . . obviously. . ."  
  
Apparently, there were a lot of things about the wizarding world Fowl didn't know. Draco wasn't sure how to classify him. Technically, after all, he was a Mudblood, but with all those wizards in his family line, it wasn't exactly like they were complete Muggles. . . huh. Maybe he was a Puremud.  
  
Finally the Howler burst into flames and was silent. For a moment, no one in the hall spoke, then talk resumed as normal.  
  
"It's impossible to be completely unsympathetic to someone with a Howler." Bole put her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. "It could so easily be you."  
  
"I would never humiliate my child that way," Chevalier stated firmly.  
  
"Well, plenty of parents would."  
  
"Here comes Snape with the schedules," Zabini nodded his chin at the approaching professor. "He looks like he enjoyed Weasley's Howler almost as much as you did, Draco."  
  
Draco sneered a bit, but he was in too good a mood to let Zabini bother him.  
  
"So, what have we got first?" Crabbe looked at his schedule blankly.  
  
"Looks like DADA."  
  
"With Lockhart." Artemis rolled his eyes, low opinion of Lockhart obvious.  
  
The girls were all producing mirrors and hairbrushes and performing beautification charms.  
  
Draco rolled his own eyes. "DADA, History of Magic, Charms, lunch."  
  
"You just stepped on my foot, Malfoy," Artemis said calmly.  
  
Oops. Draco looked up. "Serves you right. You kicked me."  
  
"Oh, fine, whatever."  
  
Crabbe and Goyle looked back and forth between them nervously. "You guys aren't going to just fight all the time, are you?" Crabbe whined petulantly.  
  
"Yeah, cause I thought we'd all be friends," Goyle complained.  
  
Artemis and Draco's gazes locked. "I can be civil."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow. Civil, eh? "I'm sure if *you* can, I can."  
  
"I can hear you adding in your mind, 'I can be more civil than you, because I'm naturally superior.'"  
  
"I'm winning already, aren't I?"  
  
"This is very interesting." Bulstrode observed the two of them almost in fascination. "I've never seen anybody but Potter--well, and Weasley--who could get Draco all riled up like this."  
  
Fowl smiled and everyone unconsciously leaned back. "I'm special."  
  
Draco badly wanted to hex him.  
  
____________ ___________  
  
Lockhart was an arrogant, insufferable prat. "Is this what you'll be like when you grow up?" Artemis turned in his seat to whisper to Draco when the professor's back was turned.  
  
Draco was unable to deliver his retort, however, as Lockhart chose that moment to announce and hand out a quiz. Artemis read over the questions, and despite his natural temperament, had to struggle from bursting out laughing. Not all the Slytherins were so successful; he could hear quite a bit of stifled sniggering.  
  
With his keen memory, Artemis knew he could get a perfect score. He remembered from Lockhart's books, for example, that the man's secret ambition was to rid the world of evil and market his own line of hair care products, that his favorite color was plum, that his birthday was July 21-- but he certainly wasn't going to answer them all correctly! They'd think he was like one of those love-sick girls. Ugh! He carefully doled out his responses.  
  
When they were all done, Lockhart looked quite pleased as he read over their answers. "Some of you have done very well, indeed! In fact. . . Miss Pansy Parkinson only missed two of the fifty-four questions. Where is Miss Parkinson?"  
  
They all turned to stare at her. She was very red, but she raised her hand gracefully.  
  
"Excellent! Ten points to Slytherin! That's what I like to see from my students! Now, on to business!"  
  
Artemis heard Draco taunting Pansy, behind him. "Excellent work, indeed, Miss Parkinson. And just how is it that you know so much about our dear Professor Lockhart, hm? *Fancy* him, do you?"  
  
"Quiet," she hissed. "Pay attention!"  
  
Artemis breathed in a silent sigh of relief that he'd followed his instincts. Sometimes a perfect memory was a curse.  
  
Meanwhile, Lockhart was yanking the cover off a cage of. . . small, blue winged things. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies!" The pixies immediately began jabbering, bouncing against the bars, and making faces.  
  
'Holly would have a fit,' Artemis thought. 'She'd blow away Lockhart, too.' He found the thought oddly cheering.  
  
The class stared at the pixies, unimpressed. "They're not very dangerous, are they?" Bole scoffed.  
  
"You think not? What if I were to open this cage then, hm? What would you do?"  
  
"Have my father fire you if any harm came to me," replied Malfoy in his drawling voice. "He's on the Board of Governors, you know."  
  
Lockhart paled and swallowed. Then he valiantly rallied. "Let harm come to my students? Never! That's why they're safely sealed away--for your protection! We're just going to imagine they're loose while I teach you the repelling charm!" He smiled brightly. "Now, repeat after me. . ." 


	6. 6

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Artemis made sure to sit *away* from Draco at lunch. He talked quite cheerfully to Zabini, Bole, and Chevalier instead, with the occasional word thrown in to Crabbe and Goyle down the table.  
  
Afterward, they all set out for Herbology. He and the girls were a few steps behind Draco and his two. . .  
  
"What are they?" Bole murmured. "Lieutenants?"  
  
"No good, they couldn't spell it."  
  
The girls giggled at this. "How about right-hand men?"  
  
Artemis smirked. "No good, they don't know right from left."  
  
"Goons," Chevalier suggested.  
  
"That sounds oddly appropriate."  
  
The trio in front stopped abruptly, and they had to backpedal to avoid collision. Draco's voice rang out, full of disbelieving contempt. "Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"  
  
Artemis peered around the hulking shape of Goyle. A very young-looking boy with a camera stood in front of Potter, apparently requesting a picture.  
  
Draco yelled to the courtyard at large, "Everyone line up! Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"  
  
Potter did not appear pleased by this. "No I'm not." His face was angry and flushed. "Shut up, Malfoy."  
  
"You're just jealous!" the kid put in.  
  
"Jealous? Of what? I don't want a foul scar across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."  
  
"You know he's got a point," Artemis mused, and Draco slowly turned and looked at him, ignoring Weasley, who had pushed forward.  
  
"Admitting my genius, are you?" Draco met his eyes.  
  
"*I* am a genius, Malfoy. You're just average."  
  
Ron half-raised his hand. "Um, who are you?"  
  
Artemis knew better than this. He did, that was the galling part. He didn't know why, but ever since school had started, his normal unruffled, quiet cunning, "plan first and they'll suffer for it later" mindset, had all but vanished. Everyone at this school seemed to drive him crazy. He wondered if the release of his bottled-up magic hadn't also released more of his emotions. Or maybe he just missed Butler.  
  
"I'm one of those nasty Slytherins your brothers don't like," Artemis answered, cool as anything. "But your sister didn't seem to mind."  
  
For no reason anybody could see, Draco started to laugh.  
  
"Perhaps simply telling us your name would be more beneficial," Potter said, frowning.  
  
"It's Fowl."  
  
Hermione suddenly looked up. "Fowl? From Ireland? Artemis Fowl?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
She regarded him with distaste. "I've heard of you. The police have been sniffing around you for years."  
  
"Generations, my dear, generations."  
  
Draco waved his hand. "Why don't you go join Potter in giving out those photos? Seems like you're pretty famous yourself."  
  
"I'm no publicity seeker, me." Artemis looked at Potter with disdain.  
  
"I'm *not* giving out signed photos!" Harry repeated, frustrated.  
  
"Just--both of you shut up and go away," spat Weasley.  
  
"What if we don't?" Draco smirked. "You hardly need trouble. Your mommy'll drag you out of school, remember?" He mimicked the Howler's voice, "If you put another toe out of line. . ."  
  
Every Slytherin present but Artemis laughed at this.  
  
"Give Weasley a photo, Potter. It'd be worth more than his whole house. . ."  
  
Ron only got as far as pulling his wand before Lockhart was among them. The crowd broke up as he and Potter had their picture taken together. Artemis, Draco, and company had to rush to the greenhouses or be late.  
  
While Professor Sprout was instructing them on Mandrakes, Draco shoved in between Crabbe and Zabini to stand next to Artemis. "Just average then, am I?"  
  
"How would you describe yourself, then?"  
  
"I'm brilliant. Witty, talented, powerful. . ."  
  
"You're 12 years old," Artemis cut him off.  
  
"So, I'm powerful for a youth, then."  
  
"Earmuffs," Artemis warned, picking his up as everyone around them did so.  
  
"Earmuffs?" He grimaced. "Professor, my hair. . ."  
  
"Put them *on*, Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"It's OK. Your hair definitely will not move. A bomb could go off in it and it would stay in its state of crispiness."  
  
"I'm seriously considering challenging you to a duel."  
  
Artemis sobered. He wasn't afraid, he just hadn't meant to annoy him that far. "Oh, come on, we're both Slytherins. Save your dueling for Potter. I'll lay off."  
  
"*If* you are paying attention, Mr. Fowl! Fine then. Everyone grasp your Mandrake. . ."  
  
____________ ___________  
  
"The end of day one," Zabini breathed a sigh of relief after their last class.  
  
"Why would anyone want to turn a beetle into a button anyway?" Pansy lamented. She had not done well in Transfiguration.  
  
Artemis had enjoyed it, so he just shrugged.  
  
"Depends on where the button is that you lost, I suppose," Zabini answered, sounding truly thoughtful.  
  
Pansy elbowed him.  
  
Draco breezed past them, pointedly brushing against Artemis and jogging his arm.  
  
Artemis's mouth twitched, but he said nothing.  
  
"You two really *don't* like each other, do you?"  
  
"Something about him just sets my teeth on edge. Maybe it's his smirk."  
  
A little while later, Goyle and Crabbe wandered by, looking for Draco. Artemis decided to sidetrack them. "How was your day? Tell me about it."  
  
They loved being asked things, thinking their opinion mattered. Draco brushed them off as stupid muscle, which made them feel bad. Artemis knew this, so he talked to them until they forgot all about finding Malfoy.  
  
When they finally all reached the common room, Draco was waiting for his two cronies impatiently. "Where have you been?"  
  
They looked guilty and glanced at Artemis.  
  
Draco seethed. "I see." He calmed himself with effort. 'Not now, wait until the time for revenge is perfect.' He took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. Come on. We've got things to do."  
  
He swept away and they followed, with a last apologetic look at Artemis.  
  
"They've known each other since they were like, 4 years old," Pansy commented. "They'll stick with Malfoy."  
  
Artemis shrugged, and gave a smirk of his own.  
  
Pansy threw up her hands. "You two are impossible!"  
  
____________ ___________  
  
It didn't take long before Slytherin House started choosing up sides. For some, this was done with extreme reluctance. "I'm sorry, Fowl, but the Parkinsons have known the Malfoys for decades. I'm probably going to be Draco's wife someday." Not so for others, like Zabini. "Malfoy has annoyed me since I met him last year. I'm with you, Fowl." And some, like Crabbe and Goyle, were determined to remain neutral. "Sorry, Draco, we like you both."  
  
The Quidditch team would have come down firmly on Draco's side, if not for Pucey, who liked Artemis, and Flint, who smoothly declared neutrality for the good of the House--he'd play whichever side won, he wasn't stupid.  
  
Slytherins were remarkably good at keeping personal things in-House, so it took all week for word to leak out to the other students.  
  
_________ _________  
  
Artemis Fowl sat next to Blaise Zabini in the third row of the Potions classroom. Chevalier and Bole were at the table behind them. Draco Malfoy sat with Goyle and Crabbe, deliberately choosing the table next to Fowl's. Parkinson and Bulstrode sat behind them, essentially guarding their backs, just as Marie and Eva were doing for Artemis.  
  
Artemis watched Draco watch him. He'd been planning on laying off Malfoy, until the incident with the shampoo on the morning of the second day. Draco was devious, but he could never match Artemis for sheer ruthlessness, and Draco had taken to putting Crabbe and Goyle on guard over his toiletries, his clothes, his plate, his bookbag, and his bath towel whenever he was away from them, out of sheer defensive necessity.  
  
The other students started filing into the room then. Artemis observed the Gryffindors with interest. He rarely got to watch them up close like this. He'd found them to be just as petty and rude as Slytherins at times, which was ironic and amusing. Sort of.  
  
Potter and Company came in the door. He saw them all give Malfoy a wary glance of dislike, then sit in the second row on the far side of the room. Draco's glance slid over to the three of them, then fell back on Artemis.  
  
Next to him, Zabini laughed. "You missed it. The other two didn't notice, but Granger gave Malfoy the most ridiculous look of shock because he's staring at you and not Potter. Congratulations, Artemis, you're now Draco's number one enemy," he whispered.  
  
"Goody-goody for me," he muttered. Sure enough, Granger was over there, wide-eyed and frowning, gazing back and forth between him and Malfoy. "Oh fun, now she's nudging Weasley."  
  
Granger had leaned over and whispered in Ron's ear, and whatever she said made him whip around and scowl at Malfoy. Who was oblivious, because his eyes had yet to leave Artemis's face.  
  
Artemis met his eyes. Draco jerked his chin over at the Gryffindor trio. "What are they up to now?"  
  
Not as oblivious as he'd thought, then. "They're trying to figure out why you're watching me instead of Wonder Boy."  
  
His mouth quirked. "You're more entertaining."  
  
"Ah. I thought it was because I was better looking."  
  
Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini all started laughing. Draco's eyes narrowed and he flushed just the slightest bit. "Not hardly."  
  
"Come on, Malfoy, that was a good line, admit it," Zabini leaned back in his chair, still grinning.  
  
"You're a moron."  
  
"Malfoy, here's a question. Normally, in other schools, kids who volunteer answers are dorks and disliked. But here, it gets them House points, which is a good thing, right?"  
  
Where was he heading with this? Draco slowly nodded.  
  
"OK. Just checking." He turned away and looked over at Granger, leaving Draco confused. Before he could ask more, Snape swept in.  
  
"Today we'll be talking about memory potions," Snape announced straight off. "Who knows the strongest memory potion currently in existence?"  
  
Granger's hand shot up. So did Draco's, Dean Thomas's, and Artemis's. "Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"The Amorislesta."  
  
"Correct. That's two points. What is its main ingredient? Mr. Fowl?"  
  
"Ent root."  
  
"Yes. Which potion does not contain any ent root at all? Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"The Lexicum."  
  
"Correct. Two points. Why not?" Snape hesitated, then gave in. "Miss Granger?"  
  
"Because it uses willow-sap juice, which would render the ent roots useless."  
  
"Two points. Why is ent root usually a key ingredient, and why does the Lexicum work without it?" Only two hands shot up this time, Granger and Fowl. "Mr. Fowl?"  
  
"Ent root messes with the part of the brain that stores long term memories. Lexicum uses a close cousin, pippery weed, which affects the brain's ability to *access* memory storage, without affecting the memories themselves. That's more risky to the brain."  
  
"Excellent! Five points. You're going to have to work to stay on top now, Miss Granger," Snape sneered at her. "Fowl beat your final exam grade by 17 points, you know."  
  
Hermione's mouth dropped open with both surprise and indignation. Artemis kept his expression carefully blank.  
  
"See," Crabbe whispered a bit too loudly. "We told you he was smart. Draco."  
  
"Yes," Draco snapped back. "So did he. Look at me, I'm a genius," he mimicked. "Arrogant git."  
  
"Once again you show your jealousy, Malfoy," Chevalier whispered over at him harshly.  
  
"Why would I be? He's not even a pureblood!" Draco hissed.  
  
"Fixated on that, aren't you? Please, Malfoy, come up with a different argument. I've only known you a week and I'm already sick of it. Don't you have *any* other redeeming features?"  
  
The muscles in Draco's jaw clenched. "I am a Malfoy, and you can't just come in here and. . ."  
  
"*I* am a Fowl, and you being a Malfoy means *zilch* to me, and everybody else who isn't a Death Eater. . ."  
  
Draco stood up so fast his chair fell over.  
  
"And no Malfoy tells a Fowl what to do!" Artemis finished, breathing rather fast.  
  
Draco would have lunged for him if Snape hadn't suddenly been between them. "How long has this been going on?" he asked Millicent mildly.  
  
"Since the train. You have no idea. They have to use the common room in shifts. I'm surprised every morning when I see them at breakfast and they've both made it through another night alive."  
  
Snape raised his eyebrows. "Well, well."  
  
The rest of the room was glued to the scene before them with avid curiosity. "Wow," said Seamus Finnigan suddenly, unconsciously echoing Zabini earlier. "Has Malfoy actually found someone he hates more than you, Harry?"  
  
"Leave me out of this," Harry responded quickly.  
  
"Shut up, Gryff. At least he's Slytherin," Draco said sullenly, to Artemis's surprise.  
  
"Malfoy, I'm touched."  
  
"I'd prefer you to be hit. By my fist."  
  
"Gentlemen!" This was probably the most unruly one of Snape's classes had ever been. "There will be no more outbursts. I will talk to you both after class. Now, this lesson will continue!"  
  
_______________ ___________  
  
The two boys stood in front of Snape's desk. Draco's heart was pounding. This whole ugly business was going to be passed along to his father now, he was sure of it. Now that their fighting had become "a diversion for Gryffindors" as Pansy had hissed at him before the other students left. She might even send Lucius an owl herself.  
  
"I am disappointed in both of you," Snape began, regarding them carefully. "I have only known you one summer but you seemed so calm and rational then, Artemis. And you, Draco, are normally so much more subtle."  
  
They both looked down. Draco scuffed his feet.  
  
Snape sighed. "Look, you both come from proud, worthy families. You're both wizards, both Slytherins. There's no reason for animosity."  
  
"Yes, sir," Draco replied.  
  
"Yes, Professor," said Artemis.  
  
"Then I don't want to see or hear of anything like this occurring again, is that understood? Next time I'll be giving you the vilest detentions I can think of."  
  
He let them go. They paused outside the classroom and looked at each other.  
  
"Maybe a truce is in order," Artemis offered.  
  
Draco was naturally suspicious, but he supposed he could afford to be gracious. "I won't do anything unless you do something first."  
  
"Hmm. . . same here. Shake on it?"  
  
They both offered their hands with a great deal of hesitation, start and stop. Then they'd shook, dropped hands immediately, and started to escape. Only, of course, they were both going to the same place.  
  
"This sucks," Draco muttered.  
  
Artemis half-smiled. "You go ahead. I'll wait five minutes and follow."  
  
__________ _________  
  
A/N: To my faithful reviewers, I'm glad you're enjoying this. That makes me happy! Artemis will become better acquainted with Harry and the Gang soon. I haven't decided if he's going to be romantically paired eventually, but this is NOT Artemis/Draco slash, so don't worry. They're both straight. 


	7. 7 The Chamber Has Been Opened

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Draco had stopped in the common room. Artemis went on to their dorm, sat on his bed, and pulled the curtains. He leaned back against the headboard and pulled out his fairy computer, which he'd warded with as many magical spells as he could find.  
  
"Dear Butler," he typed into an email, "I got into another argument with Malfoy today. I haven't told you this, but he and I have been fighting a lot. I know--you're in shock. Where is my level-headedness? How could I actually have raised my voice? Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into me. It's like Malfoy just brings out all the illogic in me. But I can't let it continue. From now on, I'm going to be my normal calm and cold-blooded self. He won't make me react again."  
  
He got his reply shortly after. "Dear Artemis, maybe you should try making friends with him instead. If not, don't hesitate to call me if you need me to--apply some persuasion. Or perhaps you need me closer? I could camp out in the Forbidden Forest."  
  
"Dear Butler, nothing drastic yet. Stay there for now. But when I see you over break, maybe you could teach me how to beat somebody up. Just in case."  
  
__________ __________  
  
So the days went on. For the next two weeks, Draco and Artemis were mainly civil to each other. When Malfoy was at Quidditch practice, Crabbe and Goyle would go talk to Fowl. When Pansy and Bulstrode needed help with homework, they'd go to Artemis. One evening Snape wandered by and congratulated them.  
  
It was the very next day when Draco couldn't take their peaceful co- existence anymore. But no matter how he insulted him, he couldn't work Artemis up into a rage again. He did find a nasty surprise in his bed one night, but he was never positive if it had been Fowl or Zabini.  
  
And then October rolled around.  
  
___________ ____________  
  
Artemis's circle sat outside by the lake. Draco's circle did, too, on the far side. They could squint a bit and see each other across the water.  
  
They were sprawled out on the grass in various relaxed positions. Artemis sat with his knees up and his homework propped against his legs, his back against a small willow tree. Zabini lay on his back to Artemis's right, staring up at the sky as he tried to memorize plants and their properties. Eva Bole lay on her stomach, chin on her arms, perpendicular to him, star charts spread out haphazardly on the grass. Marie Chevalier leaned back against Artemis's legs, as he called out History of Magic questions to her and she looked the answers up in the textbook. Then he would write them down on the parchment in front of him.  
  
Across the lake, Draco and Pansy sat back to back, leaning against each other, quizzing one another for the Herbology exam the next day. Millicent lay on her stomach, propped up on her elbows, working on her own History paper next to Pansy's feet. Crabbe and Goyle sat cross-legged a little in front and on either side of Draco, copying each other's DADA answers.  
  
After a little while, Bulstrode received a note from Marie, via Zabini's hawk. It said, "Mordicant the Misguided died in the 5th Goblin War, not the 4th." Upon which she scrawled a hearty "Oh thanks!" to the page and sent it back.  
  
About five minutes later, a freckled redheaded girl in Gryffindor robes approached Artemis's group. "I believe this is yours," she said, pointing to the hawk perched on her shoulder. "For some reason, he just flew over and landed on me. And now he's trying to eat my hair."  
  
Zabini gave her an apologetic smile, despite the fact that she was a Wealsey. "Sorry--he has this thing for red hair." They all stared at him and he winced. "I'm serious. I don't know why." They continued to stare. "Look, it's usually not a problem, OK? Except that time when he was circling your twin brothers and they hexed his feathers polka-dotted."  
  
Ginny giggled. She made shooing motions to the bird, who finally flew over to Zabini, looking rather put out about it.  
  
Bole looked up at Ginny and smiled mischievously. She seemed a sweet little thing. A little teasing, girl-to-girl, wouldn't hurt. "So," she piped up, "Weasley, have you caught Potter yet?"  
  
Ginny froze. Her eyes widened as her gaze snapped down to Eva. "What?"  
  
"You have a crush on him!" Bole grinned. Holding up her finger, she shook it in the "now, you're not being naughty, are you?" gesture. "I've seen the way you look at him!" she continued.  
  
Ginny turned a deep red that seemed to extend through her whole body, down to her very bones. Her whole demeanor changed, as if she were suddenly all shyness and self-consciousness, alone, awkward, frightened, and ashamed. Then she turned and fled.  
  
"Oh!" Bole cried. "Wait--I didn't mean--oh!"  
  
But the girl was running off much too fast to catch, and who ever heard of a Slytherin chasing after a Gryffindor, anyway? Still, it was upsetting; she hadn't meant it like that.  
  
"I guess you ran off the enemy," Zabini commented. They were all a little surprised by what had just happened.  
  
"I guess I did. I was just teasing, though. I hadn't meant to mock."  
  
"Must be a sensitive issue." Marie shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Eva. She didn't *have* to take it so personally."  
  
"Oh, well." Artemis changed the subject. "Halloween's coming up. Everybody seems to be talking about some feast."  
  
"Yes!" The others all nodded happily. "The feasts at Hogwarts are great," Zabini commented. "Last year, they had live bats flying around, and the Great Hall was decorated with, like, giant pumpkins and stuff, and there's entertainment. . ."  
  
"And lots of great food, of course."  
  
"And candy and sweets!"  
  
"Hmm, that does sound good," Artemis agreed.  
  
An eagle-owl landed on Artemis's knee and held out its leg. Artemis took the note and read it out-loud. "Fowl, what was a Weasley doing with you guys? You'll ruin your reputation if you don't watch out. Malfoy."  
  
Zabini sat up indignantly. "Tell him it's none of his business!"  
  
"Just tell him the truth," Chevalier sighed. "Be polite."  
  
Artemis turned the paper over. "Malfoy, you have keen eyesight and practice diligent observation. Weasley was returning Zabini's hawk, which had strayed. It tried to eat her hair, but otherwise the Slytherin-Gryffindor relationship that exists in this school remains unchanged. Fowl. P.S. Are you *sure* you're not watching me because I'm good-looking?"  
  
The girls started sputtering with laughter at the last part. Artemis sent Malfoy's bird back to him.  
  
___________ ____________  
  
Draco read the note and almost smiled. He had some nerve, that kid. Then he sobered. 'Of course, it's *me* he's insulting.' But he found for some reason that he was unable to get properly angry even after the others had read the note, too.  
  
"Eva's got a crush on him, I think," Pansy remarked, staring across the water.  
  
"Hey, Malfoy, don't forget Quidditch practice in an hour," called Miles Bletchley, the Slytherin Keeper, as he walked past.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be there." Draco's thoughts moved to Quidditch. He had always enjoyed it, and he loved being on the team. Seeker had long secretly been his coveted position, and now it was his. Mainly because his father had wanted him to show up Potter, but it was still his. And Fowl didn't play Quidditch.  
  
'"I'm a strategy man," Artemis had said. Huh,' thought Draco, 'I wonder.'  
  
____________ ___________  
  
Two days before Halloween, Adrian Pucey sat across from Artemis at lunch and said, "So, Fowl, Malfoy reminded me that you had formulated some good strategies for playing Quidditch."  
  
Artemis raised his eyebrows. "Malfoy did?"  
  
"Yeah. I guess he wants to win more than he wants to ignore you."  
  
Was that the reason? Artemis frowned.  
  
"Forget about that part of it," Pucey ordered. "Can you help us out or not? Naturally, Flint has all kinds of ideas, but he thought it couldn't hurt to ask you. Maybe you've come up with something new."  
  
Artemis smirked. "All right. I'll tell you what I've got."  
  
__________ ____________  
  
Artemis sat down next to Draco in Potions. He looked at him in great surprise. "What do you want, Fowl?"  
  
"Why did you remind Pucey that I said I knew Quidditch strategy?"  
  
Draco leaned his elbow on the table and his head on his fist and stared at Artemis. "Did you give him any?"  
  
"Yes. But why?"  
  
"Well, you know I'll be defeating Potter in Quidditch. It seemed only fair to involve my other rival in it." He paused. "It made sense at the time."  
  
"Did it?"  
  
"Yeah. Not sure it does anymore, but it hardly matters." He shrugged.  
  
"You're stranger than I'd first thought," said Artemis mildly, trying not to smile.  
  
Draco did smile. "I like to keep people off balance. And it's only fitting with you; you're very unpredictable, you know."  
  
"So are you. And smarter than I thought at first, too."  
  
Draco blinked. Was that a compliment? "Now we're back on intelligence again. You really should have been in Ravenclaw."  
  
"Wouldn't be as fun." Now Artemis did smile.  
  
Draco half-smiled back. "Are we having an actual civilized conversation? What's up with that?"  
  
"Maybe it's the season. You know, the Halloween spirit."  
  
"Right. We could go caroling together."  
  
Artemis half-turned his head. "Potter's staring at us."  
  
A full smile. "Probably because I'm so good looking."  
  
Artemis laughed and the whole room looked at them.  
  
Draco stuck his tongue out at Harry, because he was feeling very cheerful and buoyant all of a sudden. He didn't know why, but life seemed good right then.  
  
____________ ___________  
  
The Halloween Feast was a bit chaotic. Everyone was loud and excited, chattering away and grabbing for goodies. A troupe of skeleton dancers had performed. Jack-o-lanterns big as men were set up, and bats flew overheard. Hundreds of lit candles floated right above them.  
  
"Zabini, you didn't need to wear a mask," Draco greeted him.  
  
"I'm not, as you know," Zabini replied, helping himself to a slice of pie.  
  
"You're eating desert first," Bole scolded, and then sighed as Crabbe and Goyle both piled their plates with cake, gumdrops, and s'mores.  
  
"Who just kicked me?" Bulstrode complained.  
  
"Is it true your brother is dating Caitlynn Kroell?" Chevalier asked Eva.  
  
"Yes. Honestly, I don't know what she sees in him."  
  
"Draco--*you* kicked me!" Millicent frowned.  
  
"Oh. . . did I?"  
  
Pansy nudged him. "You have been so antsy today."  
  
"Just wanting to spread some Halloween cheer." Draco graced them both with a charming smile.  
  
"Fowl--you going to eat that?"  
  
"It's on my plate, isn't it? Quit eyeing it, Crabbe! Oh--all right. Here. Take half. No, don't even think about it, Goyle, make Crabbe share his half with you."  
  
"I'll arm wrestle you for it," Goyle proposed to Crabbe.  
  
"Oh dear," said Eva, who was sitting next to them.  
  
"Where are Potter and his gang this time?" Artemis asked, casting a glance over at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Maybe someone stuck him in a pumpkin," Crabbe guffawed, setting his elbow on the table and gripping Goyle's hand.  
  
"Why are you two always so immature?" Pansy put her fork down in disgust.  
  
"Yeah. . . hey, it's your fault, Fowl, you gave them the croissant."  
  
Artemis looked at Draco. "I take no responsibility for their actions."  
  
"On the count of three," Goyle began.  
  
"Fine then." Draco reached over quick as lightning and grabbed the cinnamon croissant off Crabbe's plate. "I wanted it anyway, but I didn't figure you'd give any to me." He took a bite.  
  
"Well. . . probably not. I doubt you could manage the soulful puppy eyed look that Crabbe did." Artemis picked up his own half of the cinnamon roll and started eating it.  
  
"I can do soulful," Draco protested.  
  
"Not without a soul," Artemis retorted.  
  
The others laughed and Draco's eyes narrowed. His hand clenched on the croissant, crumbling it, and his face went just a little pale. "You don't think I have a soul?"  
  
The atmosphere was suddenly dangerous; it had been evident in his voice. The air seemed to thicken as tension built. Artemis frowned. "We were just joking, right?"  
  
"No--you think I'm evil. You think I'm just like my father."  
  
Everyone went quiet then. This was the first time anyone had ever heard Draco imply that his father was evil. It did not bode well.  
  
"What's wrong with your father?" Zabini asked slyly, wanting to make trouble.  
  
"Nothing's wrong with my father! He's a Malfoy!"  
  
"Yes, we know all about the Malfoys," Zabini taunted.  
  
"Are you insulting my family?" Draco hissed.  
  
"Blaise, lay off him," Artemis ordered, alarmed.  
  
Draco turned on him again. "Stay out of it, Fowl! Nobody cares what you think, anyway! Nobody cares about you at all! It's not like you're such a moral, upstanding guy yourself!"  
  
Artemis sighed. "Fine. Whatever. Feel free to insult him all you want, Zabini."  
  
Draco was reaching for his wand, but Pansy grabbed his wrist. "All the teachers are watching!"  
  
"Yeah, Malfoy," Zabini smirked, and calmly began eating grapes. "Don't be so hot-blooded."  
  
Artemis rolled his eyes and stood up. "I'm going back to the dorm," he announced, expression unreadable.  
  
"Alone?" Bole looked as if she was debating coming along.  
  
"Yes," he said firmly, so she stayed.  
  
___________ _____________  
  
Artemis left the Great Hall and climbed the stairs. The passage was dark and somehow seemed more forbidding than normal. He turned a corner. Ahead of him were three people, frozen as if in shock, staring at a wall. Artemis walked closer.  
  
It was the Gryffindor Trio--Potter, Weasley, and Granger. Words were written on the wall, just legible in the torchlight. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware."  
  
The three spun around at the sound of his voice. "Fowl!"  
  
"What's going on? What's that mean?" Artemis demanded. "And--what's that?" He pointed at something hanging from the torch bracket.  
  
The three Gryffindors crept closer, then jumped back into a puddle of water. "It's Filch's cat--Mrs. Norris," Ron choked out.  
  
Artemis's eyes went wide. He turned and looked at them. "You didn't. . ."  
  
"No! It wasn't us! We just got here!" They declared emphatically, looking pale and shaken. Artemis was inclined to believe them.  
  
They all stood there for another moment, then Weasley said, "Let's get out of here."  
  
"Shouldn't we try and help. . ." Harry began awkwardly.  
  
Ron shook his head. "Trust me, we don't want to be found here."  
  
But it was too late. A rumble, as of distant thunder, signaled the sound of hundreds of feet, and loud, happy conversation, and the next moment, students were pouring into the passage from both ends.  
  
___________ __________  
  
A/N: To those who asked: sure, if you are interested in telling me who you would like to see Artemis or Draco paired up with AND WHY, then, by all means, let me know. 


	8. 8

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 8  
  
The gabble of voices died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. The four of them stood alone in the middle of the corridor, Artemis a little apart from the other three. Silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.  
  
Draco had pushed his way to the front of the crowd. He smiled at them. "Enemies of the Heir, beware!" His gaze focused on Hermione. "You'll be next, Mudbloods."  
  
Artemis rushed forward to stand next to Draco. "Quiet, Malfoy, listen. . ."  
  
Draco looked at him, standing only inches away, seeming very serious. But he never found out what Artemis was going to say, as Filch had made his way through the press of students to check on the disturbance.  
  
"My cat!" he shrieked. "What's happened to Mrs. Norris?"  
  
His popping eyes fell on Potter. "*You!* You've murdered my cat! I'll kill you!"  
  
"Argus!" Dumbledore was there now, with a number of teachers. He removed the cat, and ordered Filch and the Trio to accompany them.  
  
"He was there, too," said a voice. Colin Creevy, pointing at Artemis.  
  
"You, too, then."  
  
They went to Lockhart's office. McGonagall and Snape came behind them. While Dumbledore and McGonagall examined Mrs. Norris, Filch cried, Lockhart made unhelpful comments, and Snape went to stand by Artemis.  
  
"What happened, Fowl?" he asked in a low voice.  
  
"Malfoy was getting on my nerves, so I ducked out of the feast a couple minutes early. I came upon that--scene--and them," he nodded towards Potter and crew, huddled close by. "They were looking at it."  
  
Snape's piercing gaze turned on Potter.  
  
"She's not dead, Argus," Dumbledore said, turning around. "She's been Petrified. I'm not sure how. . ."  
  
"Ask him!" Filch stared at Harry, as well.  
  
"No Second Year could have done this. It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced. . ."  
  
"He did it!" Filch insisted. "You saw what he wrote on the wall. And he knows I'm a Squib!"  
  
"I never touched Mrs. Norris," Harry protested at once. "I don't even know what a Squib *is*!" "Non-magic user born to a magic family," Artemis supplied, thinking, 'Well, well, Filch is a Squib. That's handy to know.'  
  
Snape broke in. "Well, Fowl is clearly innocent here. He'd just arrived on the scene. True, Miss Granger?"  
  
She blinked. "Yes. . . we were there first, he just walked up and read the wall, that's all."  
  
"As for Potter and his friends," Snape continued, "they may have only been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it does look suspicious. . ."  
  
The three launched into an explanation. "We were at Sir Nicholas' Deathday party! Ask the ghosts!"  
  
"Why didn't you join the feast afterward? Why go up that corridor?"  
  
"We were tired and wanted to go to bed," Harry said.  
  
Snape smiled maliciously. "Without supper?"  
  
"We weren't hungry," Ron declared, but his rumbling stomach gave the lie to that.  
  
"I see no evidence Potter did anything wrong!" McGonagall snapped, eyes flashing at Snape.  
  
"They looked pretty surprised when I found them," Artemis spoke up suddenly. "I don't think they did anything."  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed and he turned to look at Artemis.  
  
"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," Dumbledore proclaimed, but he was staring at Harry.  
  
Snape scowled further. Filch shrieked, "But my cat! I want to see some *punishment*!"  
  
"We can cure her," Dumbledore said gently. "As soon as Sprout's Mandrakes are at full size, I'll have a potion made."  
  
"I can do it!" Lockhart interrupted.  
  
"Excuse me." Snape turned his deadly glare on Gilderoy, who cringed. "I believe I am the Potions Master at this school."  
  
Artemis smirked. "You tell him."  
  
Filch looked over at him for the first time. "But--*he's* Slytherin. He could be the Heir!"  
  
Dumbledore looked at Fowl, who met his eyes blandly. "Heir of what?"  
  
"Don't go wandering around corridors alone, Mr. Fowl," McGonagall said then. She looked worried.  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "The others confirmed his innocence." He glanced at the four of them. "You all may go."  
  
The Gryffindors fled. Artemis left with a backwards look at Snape, who met his eyes. But Artemis was unable to read them.  
  
He sped up in pursuit of the others, and followed them silently in the shadows, eavesdropping.  
  
Potter spoke to the other two, sounding concerned. "Do you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"  
  
'Ah,' thought Artemis. 'Intrigue.'  
  
"No," Ron assured him without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."  
  
"I know it sounds weird. And that writing on the wall--the Chamber has been opened--what's that mean?"  
  
"Hush," Hermione interrupted. "We're being followed."  
  
'All right then.' Artemis hurried his steps, coming out of the shadows, sounding breathless. "There you guys are. I've been trying to catch up to you."  
  
"Oh, Fowl--it's you."  
  
"Yes. Me. Good thing I had you to testify for me. What with my *police record* and all." Artemis threw Granger's remarks about him from when they first met back at her.  
  
She looked a bit embarrassed. "Um. That was just what I'd heard. Pretend I never said it. It was good of you to stand up for us."  
  
He nodded at her, then gazed at the other two. Weasley he didn't think much of. Granger he respected for her intelligence. Potter--actually, Potter seemed rather ordinary. Apparently he could rise to the occasion when it meant life or death. Artemis honestly thought that if people would just stop trying to kill him, he wouldn't amount to that much. He'd expected to despise him, but found he didn't. Maybe if he were around him as much as he was Malfoy, it would be different.  
  
This business about hearing voices, though, he needed to find out more about. He thought he knew a way to lead them on while he picked them for information.  
  
"So, listen--do you know any more than what you told the adults? Did you notice anything else, before I got there?" They all shook their heads no. "You didn't hear the voice then?"  
  
That got their full attention. Their looks changed to suspicion once more. "What did it sound like?" Potter asked.  
  
Artemis had no idea, but he knew how to guess well. "Like a whisper. Only threatening."  
  
"Yes!" Potter exclaimed before Weasley could nudge him to be quiet. "See!" He rounded on the other two triumphantly. "I wasn't making it up. I'm not crazy. I told you it was going to kill someone."  
  
Granger frowned. "What did it say exactly?"  
  
"Rip, tear, kill. I'm hungry, kill," Potter replied.  
  
"Why can you two hear this voice and no one else can?"  
  
Artemis shrugged. Potter looked helpless.  
  
"Do you know anything about this Chamber of Secrets?" Weasley demanded of Artemis. "Or why Filch thought you might be the Heir?"  
  
"No idea. Except that I was Slytherin." He paused. "Malfoy seemed to know something."  
  
"Do you two honestly loathe each other?" Potter asked.  
  
Artemis half-smiled. "Oh, yes."  
  
The Gryffindors exchanged glances. "I'll research the Chamber," Granger said at last. "You see what Malfoy knows. We'll owl you when we know something."  
  
". . . all right."  
  
____________ __________  
  
Artemis went looking for information. Like Granger, he'd gone searching through books. He'd looked up clues on the Internet. And he'd asked Pucey and Flint. Pucey had been baffled by it all, but Flint looked shifty. "I've heard rumors," he replied softly, looking around the Common Room to see who was listening. "Salazar Slytherin, who as you know started this school, was betrayed by the other Founders, who invited Muggles and Mudbloods to be students. Finally he left. But before he did, he put a seal on a certain chamber he'd had built in the castle, that the others didn't know about. He sealed it so it could only be opened by his Heir. And inside it, he put some sort of monster--nobody knows what. And when his Heir returns, when the time is right, he'll let the monster loose, to kill all the traitors, until only purebloods are left."  
  
"Who is the Heir?"  
  
At that, Flint looked frustrated. "Nobody knows. I wish I knew!"  
  
"Aren't there any stories, descriptions, anything?"  
  
Flint shook his head.  
  
Which took Artemis back to the books and the Web, looking for any records of Slytherin's descendants. . . only there seemed to be none.  
  
Malfoy had been avoiding him. Artemis squared his shoulders. He'd wait until tonight, then confront him.  
  
___________ __________  
  
Draco was the last to bed, as usual. He heard Crabbe and Goyle snoring nearby. He sighed and lay down. He'd barely closed his eyes when his curtains were pulled back and he was staring up at Artemis Fowl.  
  
Draco scowled. "What do you want?"  
  
Artemis sat down at the foot of the bed and pulled the curtains shut around them.  
  
Draco sat up, heart thumping. What was Fowl up to?  
  
"So, this whole 'Enemies of the Heir, Beware,' thing," Artemis began without preamble. "You seem to know something about it."  
  
Draco blinked. Not what he was expecting. "Just. . . stuff I've heard. From my dad."  
  
"Stuff like?" Artemis prompted.  
  
Draco shrugged. "There's a secret chamber at Hogwarts. It's been opened before. Last time, a Mudblood died. But nobody knows how she was killed, or what sort of monster supposedly inhabits it. I don't know who opened the chamber--just that he was expelled, but never imprisoned. It was closed again, I guess, because there was only the one death, and then everything got quiet again."  
  
"When--when was this?"  
  
"Oh, about 50 years ago."  
  
"And you're OK with that?" Fowl hissed. It was hard to see his face. His eyes seemed all black, but burning, somehow even through the dark. "This person's parents weren't magical, so let some beast kill them, no problem?"  
  
Draco shifted a bit. "Father says. . ."  
  
"Malfoy! What do *you* say? Can't you think for yourself?"  
  
Draco went rigid. "Of course I can. And yes, I'm fine with it. If I knew who the Heir was now, I'd help him. I'd suggest he start with you."  
  
Artemis took a deep breath and calmed down, as if a door had shut, closing off his expression and wiping the tension from his body. "You don't know who the Heir is, then?"  
  
Draco cursed to himself. He hadn't meant to tell Fowl so much. But it was too late now. "No."  
  
"You know all these pureblood families. Any guesses?"  
  
"No." He started fiddling with the blankets.  
  
"You're sure it's not you?" Artemis asked, sounding rather suspicious.  
  
Draco sighed again. "I was at the Feast the whole time, remember? You're the one who left early--the new boy who's just a little too confident about everything. Maybe it's you!"  
  
"Malfoy, you know that I'm not pureblood."  
  
"Don't I, though! You should really be a Ravenclaw."  
  
Artemis grinned suddenly. "Did you ever get all the flobberworms out of your robes?" Then he was through the bed curtains and gone.  
  
For a moment, Draco just sat there staring at the spot where he'd been. "All right," he muttered, "anybody who can play a trick so devious belongs in Slytherin, I admit it."  
  
He ran a hand through his hair, then lay down. So Fowl wanted to know about the Chamber and the Heir. So he thought Draco was wrong about the Mudbloods. So he thought he couldn't think for himself. So what?  
  
But he kept thinking about it. It was true that over the years he'd come to just parrot what his father said. It was easier than getting beaten for believing the wrong thing. Over time, he'd come to pretend that wasn't the reason, that he must really believe what he said, that he wasn't some helpless weakling stuck in a life of lies and pain, doomed to bitterness because he *couldn't get out.* No, he liked it where he was.  
  
And if sometimes, the real feelings pushed through, and he felt so frustrated and resentful and fearful that it all turned to anger and he had to lash out. . .  
  
'You don't have to.'  
  
'Shut up, shut up, yes I do, because I'm angry!'  
  
He was angry. He was furious.  
  
'Trust Fowl to bring up something so stupid, to make me feel like this. He was just trying to get to me; it's a plot. I'll get him for this.'  
  
He turned onto his side, still seething. But how to get revenge? Fowl didn't react to anything anymore. Nothing made him mad. He turned onto his other side. This would require some thought.  
  
__________ __________  
  
Just before breakfast, Artemis sent an owl to Hermione Granger telling her to meet him so he could let her know what he'd discovered. She was waiting, along with the other two, outside the Great Hall. He motioned down the side passage with his chin, and slipped away from his friends and met them there two minutes later.  
  
"Can't be seen speaking with us?" Weasley asked, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Let's just say I'd prefer Malfoy not know."  
  
Granger made her report. They had investigated the crime scene, and found spiders, water, and scorch marks. She explained about Moaning Myrtle.  
  
Then Artemis made his. They were left in shock.  
  
"Died? There really is something running around about to murder people?" Ron looked pale.  
  
"I told you that," Potter pointed out. "The voice."  
  
"Have you heard it anymore?" Fowl asked. "I haven't."  
  
"No, not since. . . since the last time."  
  
"Well, keep me informed, OK? Look--I know you don't know me, and I'm a Slytherin and all, but you can trust me." Artemis smiled at them.  
  
They smiled back, hesitantly. Ah, they were so easy to win over.  
  
"See you around then. Weasley--say hi to your sister for me."  
  
__________ ___________  
  
A/N: I didn't mean to alarm everyone. Don't worry, if any pairing is done, it will be way, way in the distant future (like year 5 if I go that far). They can't have more than mild crushes right now anyway; they're too young. 


	9. 9

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
A/N: To answer a question, it's not that Artemis *wants* to lie to the Trio, but he wants information and he figures that's the only way he'll get it. They'd never trust some strange Slytherin otherwise.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
At lunch, Draco Malfoy deliberately sat across from Artemis and stared at him. Unfortunately, Artemis had no problem matching his stare. Neither broke, but neither got much eating done.  
  
"Here," said Eva afterwards as they left the Great Hall. "I smuggled you out a sandwich."  
  
Artemis actually gave her a genuine smile. "Thanks."  
  
"What's Malfoy's problem now?"  
  
"When has he ever needed a reason?"  
  
"Maybe he's just nervous--the Quidditch match against Gryffindor is tomorrow."  
  
Artemis shook his head. "There's more to it than that. But I'm not worried about him."  
  
At dinner, Malfoy got in trouble with McGonagall for harassing some kid named Longbottom. He scowled and stalked out of the Great Hall alone. "I'll see you guys later," Artemis said, and followed him.  
  
Artemis caught up to him in the corridor. It was empty but for them. Draco kept walking. Artemis just walked alongside him.  
  
Draco looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "What do you want, Fowl?"  
  
"I was just wondering why you don't pick your battles better."  
  
Draco stopped walking and stared at him. "What?"  
  
"Seriously, Malfoy. You go overboard. You lose focus. Don't get so angry and wrapped up in taunting people. Keep your eye on the target."  
  
"The target *is* taunting people."  
  
"No, the target is upsetting the person, not getting upset yourself."  
  
"*Why* are you telling me this?"  
  
"I don't want you to lose your head and mess up my strategy tomorrow in the game."  
  
Draco's eyes suddenly bore through him.  
  
"See, there you go." Artemis smirked. "Losing your temper again."  
  
Draco took a deep breath. "Fine. From now on. . . I'll truly be an enemy to be reckoned with. How's that?"  
  
For one brief moment, Artemis felt uneasy about baiting Malfoy, but then it went away. "Good. Because I would hate to think you were at less than your best."  
  
Draco's eyes narrowed. He was starting to feel confused. Just what was Fowl's intent here, anyway?  
  
Then the hallway began to fill up with other students going past them. Supper was over. They were given a wide berth and a lot of stares and glances.  
  
Then they were surrounded, and Draco went off with Goyle and Crabbe and his girls in one direction, and Artemis walked away with Blaise and his girls in the other. He passed Ginny Weasley and thought to himself that she didn't look like she was doing very well, but Zabini diverted his attention to other things.  
  
____________ __________  
  
"Dear Butler, tomorrow is our 1st Quidditch match against Gryffindor. By 'our,' of course, I mean the Slytherin Quidditch team, who I have advised after observation of  
  
both teams and consultation with Madam Hooch. Tension is due to be high, because of the intense competition between Houses."  
  
"Who are you writing?" Zabini asked, sitting down next to Artemis in the library.  
  
Artemis looked up from his parchment. How to explain Butler? No wait, they'd met. "Butler. You met him at the train station, remember?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. Mum was eyeing him." Zabini grinned.  
  
"Um, yes."  
  
"What's that book for? Care of Magical Creatures?"  
  
". . . no. . . I'm curious. About what kind of monster can petrify a cat."  
  
"Oh." Zabini leaned back in his chair. "The Chamber."  
  
"I had been searching genealogy, trying to find the Heir to Slytherin. But I think that may be the wrong track. I think the creature is the key. What kind of monster could the Heir control? What can petrify someone, or outright kill them? Kill them how? And what do mysterious voices and spiders have to do with it?"  
  
Zabini's face scrunched up in confusion. "Voices and spiders?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
Zabini reached into his bookbag and pulled out two chocolate frogs. "Here. Have one."  
  
Artemis smiled. "Thanks." He opened his, ate it, then looked at his frog card. "Ah. Dumbledore."  
  
"Not surprised. Lots of those." Zabini took out his Transfiguration homework as Artemis read Dumbledore's card.  
  
"Headmaster of Hogwarts, one of the greatest wizards of modern times, defeated Grindelwald in 1945, worked on alchemy with his partner, Flamel. . ." Artemis's voice trailed off.  
  
"What?" Zabini looked over at him. Artemis's face had a strange expression.  
  
"He worked on alchemy?" His voice sounded a bit odd, too.  
  
"Yeah. . . they never perfected it, obviously. It's been determined to be impossible to turn anything to gold. Considering we can turn teacups into rats, you'd think we'd be able to. . . Artemis?"  
  
Artemis came out of his apparent daze. "Yes. You'd think so, wouldn't you?-- I really need to finish this letter." And he bent over his parchment again and began to write.  
  
______ _________  
  
Artemis sat in the stands, watching as the two teams walked out onto the Quidditch pitch. He sat in between Eva and Marie, with Zabini next to her, and Crabbe and Goyle on the other side of Eva. They were clapping and whistling for Malfoy. Eva was cheering her brother. Artemis, naturally, kept quiet.  
  
Except to say, "I notice the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs are all rooting against us. Everyone seems to hate us, don't they?"  
  
Marie gave him a worried look. She hadn't yet noticed Zabini inching his hand closer to hers in the hopes of holding it.  
  
Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and the players took to the air.  
  
They watched the match progress. "Hey!" Zabini exclaimed. "Wasn't that Parkin's Pincer?"  
  
"What?" asked a first year girl sitting in front of them. "A Park's Pincer?"  
  
"Parkinson's Pincer," Eva corrected. "The move our chasers made--did you see? Pucey flew straight at Johnson and Flint and Montague closed in on either side. . . did you see?"  
  
The girl's eyes and mouth formed round O's and she turned around to watch the game some more.  
  
"What sort of move is that?" she squealed a bit later. "They all flew like an arrowhead! What was it?"  
  
"Hawkshead Attacking Formation," Zabini answered shortly.  
  
She bounced a bit in her seat and resumed watching.  
  
Zabini rolled his eyes, gave up on stealth, and grabbed Chevalier's hand. She looked over at him, surprised, then smiled.  
  
"Is it my imagination," Artemis said abruptly, "or is that Bludger always homing in on Potter?"  
  
"Huh?" They all watched for a moment.  
  
"It is," said Crabbe, surprised.  
  
"How come?" Goyle scratched his head.  
  
"Hmm." Artemis stopped watching the game and started scanning the crowd.  
  
"They've called time-out. They must think so, too." Bole peered down, trying to see what was going on at the Gryffindor side.  
  
"Did Flint or somebody jinx it?" Zabini frowned. "How come Hooch hasn't noticed?"  
  
"Jinxing the Bludgers wasn't part of our strategy," Artemis responded dryly. "But. . . that doesn't mean he didn't."  
  
"They're not stopping," Marie realized in amazement as both teams flew into the air again. "They're leaving Potter to deal with it."  
  
"Huh. He's the Golden Hero. Let him."  
  
"It's drizzling harder. . ."  
  
Potter was zig-zagging all over the place, trying to keep away from the Bludger. Draco was watching him, smirking.  
  
"Focus, Malfoy," Artemis muttered.  
  
____________ ___________  
  
Draco Malfoy sat on his broom in the rain, high above the ground. The game so far had been truly amusing, Potter's antics especially--he looked like he was training for the ballet. He moved forward, intending to mock him with this, when he happened to glance over at the stands and his eyes landed on Fowl. He was too far to see him clearly, but his remembered voice suddenly seemed to speak in his head. "Don't get so wrapped up in taunting people. Keep your eye on the target."  
  
Draco stiffened. Why did everything have to remind him of that insufferable, arrogant prat? "Losing your temper again. I don't want you to mess up my strategy in the game."  
  
That arrogant, insufferable. . . "Can't you think for yourself? You don't have a soul. Don't lose focus. . ."  
  
"I will be an enemy to be reckoned with," Draco vowed out loud, through gritted teeth. "Come on then. . . "Where's the stupid Snitch?"  
  
Merlin, merlin. . . it was *two feet away,* directly behind him. . .  
  
He was moving. Distantly, he heard the crowd screaming, he sensed Potter behind him--had the Bludger just hit the Gryffindor?--but it was all dim and unreal. Reality was that Snitch, trying to run away from him.  
  
He flew straight for it, missing by inches, diving after it now. Potter was coming up behind him--no! He wouldn't lose now! With a burst of speed from his superior broom, he pulled ahead, and felt his fingers close on roundness and wings.  
  
He had it! He'd caught it! He couldn't believe it, truthfully, but there it was, held tight in his hand, raised above his head now, showing the world victory was his.  
  
He pulled out of his dive in time to watch as Potter, who had overextended himself, fell off his broom and hit the ground. He smirked, unable to help it. He looked away, though, flying closer to the Slytherin stands, eyes searching to find Fowl again, determined to see his expression.  
  
But when he found him, his triumph turned to confusion, because Fowl met his eyes and smiled, as if satisfied, nodded as if to say, there--now you're a worthy opponent.  
  
And Draco found himself smiling back, almost shyly, until he remembered himself, spun his broom around, and did a taunting, triumphant fly-by of the Gryffindor seats, before landing to stand with the rest of his team, to watch Lockhart make a mess of Potter's arm. The comic touch to the end of a delightful, almost dizzyingly wonderful game.  
  
______________ ___________  
  
There was a party going on in the Slytherin common room. The other students were toasting the Quidditch team with bottles of pumpkin juice, and all kinds of sweets were being passed around. Draco sat in the middle of the commotion, reveling in the praises being sent his way.  
  
Eventually, Crabbe pushed his way through the crowd and asked Draco quietly, "Have you seen Fowl? He's missing."  
  
"Who cares?" Draco retorted.  
  
"But why would he miss out on the party?"  
  
"Cause he's an idiot!" He shooed Crabbe away, who left, pouting. But now Draco was wondering. Why *would* he miss out? His strategies had let the Chasers lead by 90 points or so before the Snitch was caught. Just a little while longer, and they would have won even if Potter had caught the Snitch. Fowl could be here right now, gloating. So where was he?  
  
After 15 more minutes, he couldn't stand it any longer, and made a quick search of the dungeons. Fowl was nowhere. He argued with himself a good 35 minutes more before he snuck out to go looking. And it was at least 20 minutes after that before he wandered across him completely by luck, heading towards the Hospital Wing.  
  
They stopped, eyeing one another. "Malfoy."  
  
"Fowl. What are you up to, anyway?"  
  
"Something's going to happen tonight. Couldn't you sense it? The tension in the crowd. Everyone's thinking about other things now. This is a chance."  
  
Draco stepped closer. "You're talking about the Chamber again."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So what are you doing, you git--offering yourself as bait?"  
  
Artemis smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm looking for spiders."  
  
Draco blinked. "You're insane, true?"  
  
"I'm tempted to explain, Malfoy, but I don't trust you."  
  
Draco sneered. "You just don't know anything."  
  
"Bye, Malfoy." Artemis passed by him and continued on his way, but Draco followed him. "Go away now."  
  
"No, I don't think I will. I have every right to illegally walk the halls after dark, same as you. It'll be detention if we're caught, you know."  
  
Artemis shrugged. "So we're careful."  
  
Draco grinned. "You said we!"  
  
"I can't come up with a way to get rid of you without hexing you, which I'd prefer not to do."  
  
"Like you could! I'd stop you."  
  
Artemis looked sideways at Draco. "That was a good catch today, by the way."  
  
"Um. Thanks." There it was again, that strange shyness. Malfoys were confident and arrogant at all times! What was his problem? So what if he never would have even noticed the bloody thing if he hadn't had Fowl's words bloody echoing through his head. . .  
  
Artemis threw out his arm, abruptly stopping. Draco ran into it, almost tripped, but stopped. "What. . ." he started to hiss, but Artemis fiercely cut him off.  
  
"Voices!" he whispered.  
  
Draco fell silent.  
  
"Careful," a man's voice said softly, somewhere ahead of them. They shrank back into the shadows as footsteps approached. Two teachers, magically levitating a--person. A person lying straight and unmoving. They continued on, heading toward the infirmary.  
  
"We're too late," Artemis realized. "Someone's already been petrified--or worse."  
  
Draco drew in a breath, but said nothing.  
  
Artemis tapped him on the arm. "Come on," he ordered, and followed the professors. Draco hesitated, then came.  
  
At the door to the infirmary, the two boys huddled, peering in the window, ears listening at the crack in the door. Madam Pomfrey came rushing over to where Dumbledore had levitated the body.  
  
"Another attack," they heard Dumbledore tell her. "Minerva found him on the stairs."  
  
"Petrified?"  
  
"Yes," McGonagall answered. "But if Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate, who knows what might have. . ." she trailed off.  
  
Dumbledore reached down and pried a camera from the hands of the form on the bed.  
  
"It's that dork Creevy," Draco whispered to Artemis.  
  
"Did he get a picture of the attacker?"  
  
Dumbledore opened the camera. Steam came hissing out.  
  
"Melted. . . what does that *mean*?"  
  
"It means," Dumbledore responded, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."  
  
McGonagall looked sick. "But, Albus. . . surely. . . *who*?"  
  
"The question is not *who,*" said Dumbledore, "but *how.*"  
  
"They're leaving," whispered Artemis, and the two boys rushed to hide.  
  
Once they'd gone, Artemis found Draco looking at him with suspicion. "So-- what have you really been up to, all alone? That opportunity you mentioned-- did you take it yourself?"  
  
Artemis rubbed at his temples. "No, of course not."  
  
"Well. . . you *don't* seem like the killing type."  
  
"The professors have no clue what's going on either, apparently. Who opened the Chamber last time? Where *is* the Chamber anyway, and how do you open it?"  
  
"How many people have been expelled from Hogwarts? Is there a list somewhere? Then we could just match up the date."  
  
Artemis's eyes went wide and he stared at Draco. "I can't believe you thought of that before I did."  
  
Draco smirked. "It's the superior Malfoy intellect."  
  
"Shut up. All right, I'm going back to the dungeons now. First thing tomorrow, I'll look in the library."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm going with you. I don't trust you to tell me what you find out."  
  
__________ _________  
  
A/N: Yes, Draco actually won his Quidditch match, even though this never happens in the books. Honestly though, if he'd just turned his head Second Year, he *could* have won. He did have the better broom, and he could fly well. Surely if Potter can get lucky, so can he.  
  
Bringing me to my other point, the difference between canon and fanon. No, my Draco doesn't exactly match the one in the books. The canon Draco has probably never been beaten by his father, and would not behave in quite the way mine does. But since this is, after all, fanfiction, I can make mine do whatever I want. Cool.  
  
Please review, it makes me so happy! Thanks! 


	10. 10

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Artemis spent the walk back to the dungeons that night studying Malfoy without his noticing. He didn't trust his fellow Slytherin, he didn't even like him, and he reluctantly concluded that he didn't understand him, either. Everyone else at Hogwarts, with the exception of Dumbledore, he had pegged and labeled, but every time he thought he had Malfoy figured out, he'd do something surprising.  
  
And to be quite frank, he was worried about spending too much time in his company. It just increased the chance that they'd fight. Much easier to ignore your enemy when he wasn't around.  
  
He was going to have to find out just how aware of his actions the Ministry of Magic currently was. For. . . a number of reasons. And he needed to get his hands on some books in the Restricted Section. What professor was stupid enough to give him an open note?  
  
___________ ________  
  
Draco Malfoy was waiting for him by Madam Pince's desk. He didn't speak until Artemis had checked out his books and headed over to a table.  
  
"Thought you could skip out on me, huh?"  
  
"You were just sleeping so peacefully, I couldn't bear to wake you up."  
  
"Which professor was stupid enough to give you an open note to the Restricted Section?"  
  
Artemis looked amused. "Lockhart, of course."  
  
"Ah. Of course."  
  
Artemis sat down at a table in the very back. Draco sat down across from him. "And all these books are about the Chamber? Cause you've got an awful lot of them and kept the titles cleverly hidden by siccing Madam Pince on me."  
  
"Oh, just picked up a little of this and that. Here's one." He took from his bookbag "Records and Statistics of Hogwarts and its Students for the 1950's."  
  
"Enlighten me then."  
  
Artemis searched the index. "Here we go. Expulsions. Page 282." He turned to the indicated page. "OK, for the years 1950-1960. Bridgeport, Robert. Eaton, Dorothy. Eaton, Simon. Hagrid, Rubeus. . . oh."  
  
Draco's mouth dropped open. "Hagrid? As in dumb, annoying Hogwarts Gamekeeper Hagrid?"  
  
"Apparently so. . . I never have seen him do magic, come to think of it. . ."  
  
"Does it say *why* they were expelled?"  
  
"No. Hmm. Before we jump to conclusions, let me finish the list. Hagrid, Rubeus. Lister, Arnold. O'Malley, Sean. Sampson, Delilah. Zygon, Nicodemus."  
  
"I can't believe the Hogwarts Board of Governors allows an expelled student to work here, even as a servant. Does my father know?"  
  
"Dumbledore must know."  
  
"That soft-hearted, soft-headed fool," Draco scoffed.  
  
"Yes. But he must know. And I'm sure he wouldn't say." A thought occurred to Artemis. Granger and company. Would they know? They seemed to be great friends with him. If they didn't know, maybe they could find out. . .  
  
"What are you plotting, Fowl?"  
  
Artemis blinked. Draco was frowning at him. "Who, me?"  
  
"I know that look. For a moment you reminded me frighteningly of my father. Tell me what you're planning."  
  
"Your father. . . how much does he know about what's going on? He's a Governor, a past alumni, and all that."  
  
"I'll ask him. If you tell me what you're going to do, I'll even tell you what he says."  
  
"You ask him, and if you tell me what he says, I'll tell you the results of what I'm considering after I've done it."  
  
For a moment, their gazes locked and their wills battled.  
  
"Oh, let's both get our results and then we can debate who talks first," Draco said at last.  
  
Artemis half-smiled. "All right."  
  
__________ __________  
  
Just after breakfast, Artemis went looking for Granger. He figured the first place to look was the infirmary, and he was right. Potter was just being discharged, and Hermione and Ron were there waiting on him. They didn't look too pleased to see him.  
  
"You're still mad about the Quidditch match, aren't you? How's your arm, by the way?"  
  
Potter grimaced. "Better, thanks. And Malfoy only won because his broom was faster."  
  
Artemis looked over to the bed Creevy had been in last night, but it was blocked off by high curtains. "About the Chamber," he began.  
  
Their attention focused on him immediately. "Yes?"  
  
"It was opened once before, as I told you. The person who opened it was expelled. I found a book that listed everyone expelled at that time. . ."  
  
Hermione clapped her hand to her forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"  
  
"8 names in 10 years time. One of them was Rubeus Hagrid."  
  
They stared at him. "What?"  
  
"Did you know Hagrid had been expelled? Do you know why?"  
  
"I can't believe you'd blame this on Hagrid, you--Slytherin! He would never release a monster that would kill people or. . ."  
  
"I have a list of suspects. I'm trying to eliminate them. You're his friends. Ask him why he was expelled so I can clear his name."  
  
There was silence. The Trio looked at each other. Artemis waited.  
  
"We'll see what we can find out," Granger said at last, obviously worried and reluctant. "But he didn't do it, I know."  
  
"Maybe he didn't know it would kill people," Artemis said in a reasonable voice. "Maybe he found the Chamber and opened it by accident. Maybe he explored it and found some interesting magical creature. I have heard that he has a fondness for strange creatures. Maybe he made a pet of it and. . ."  
  
"That's enough," Potter interrupted, clearly disturbed. "We said we'd ask."  
  
"Fine. Then I'll go. I have some reading to do. Owl me."  
  
__________ ___________  
  
Moste Potente Potions. Advanced Transfiguration. The History of Alchemy, and The Theory of Alchemy by Nicholas Flamel.  
  
Artemis propped himself up on his pillows and put a ward on the curtains around his bed and started reading. ". . . first attempts all unsuccessful. . . experiments conducted over the course of many years. . . concluded that lead could be turned into gold but only by an expenditure of magic so extreme as to leave the caster virtually dead. . . turned to other materials. . ."  
  
"I know you're in there, Fowl."  
  
Artemis came to himself with a start. He unsealed and opened the curtains to find Malfoy standing outside his bed, arms crossed, scowling.  
  
The sky he could see through the slit of a window was growing dark. He must have been reading for hours, he realized. "What?"  
  
"I owled my father. The results were most unsatisfactory. He wouldn't tell me anything. He said it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. He says to keep my head down and let the Heir get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. So there you go. Your turn."  
  
"But you didn't find out anything. Why should I tell you my plan?"  
  
"Because I *told* you I didn't find out anything. So give."  
  
Artemis debated all the repercussions in his mind. "Your father wants to get rid of Mudblood filth, eh?" he stalled.  
  
Draco looked away from his gaze.  
  
"You really think killing is the answer?"  
  
"Father says. . ."  
  
"Do you ever listen to yourself?"  
  
Draco's eyes snapped to his now, narrowed and furious. "Just tell me what you know."  
  
"I made Granger, Potter, and Weasley doubt Hagrid enough that they won't be able to stand it until they ask him. And then I'll convince them to tell me what he said."  
  
"You're consorting with traitors?"  
  
Artemis shrugged. "Means to an end."  
  
"You're pathetic."  
  
"You're a coward."  
  
Then Draco's wand was pointing at him and Artemis was grabbing for his own as Draco was speaking and Artemis was speaking when Draco released the spell, and Artemis immediately started itching everywhere so badly he could hardly stand it and his hand shook as he released his own spell, and then he couldn't help it but started scratching at his arms. Meanwhile, Malfoy found he couldn't speak. He tried to cast another spell, but couldn't without a voice. Artemis glared at him. "You prat."  
  
Draco stuck his tongue out at him, then grabbed Artemis's hands. He shook his head. "Let go!" Artemis commanded, but Draco shook his head again, then tilted it down, indicating Artemis's arms. Artemis looked; he'd scratched at them so hard his nails had left deep, bleeding marks. "Oh."  
  
Draco let go. Artemis picked up his wand and de-hexed himself. Then he looked at Malfoy, who was waiting. "What, you expect me to cure you? You're the one who started it."  
  
Draco smirked, grasped Artemis's arm and shook it insistently. Then he crossed his arms, still waiting.  
  
"No. . ." Artemis said slowly. "I don't think so. But I'll send up Crabbe and Goyle to go to Madam Pomfrey's with you. How's that?"  
  
Artemis put the bed between them when Draco clenched his fist. It was just then Zabini came in. "Hey, Fowl, are you still down here--hey, what's going on?"  
  
"Just a small misunderstanding." Artemis smiled brightly. "Let's go to the Common Room, shall we?"  
  
"Um, OK."  
  
Draco stared angrily after them as they went upstairs. "What were you fighting about now?" Zabini asked Artemis.  
  
"Oh, same old stuff."  
  
"Really? You should get some new material then."  
  
____________ ___________  
  
Monday after classes saw the two opposing Slytherin forces on opposite sides of the lake again. "It's awfully cold out."  
  
"That's because it's December. I'm only surprised there's no snow."  
  
"Why are we even outside, Draco?"  
  
"Because Fowl is outside."  
  
"Is that a good reason?" Pansy whined.  
  
"Good enough."  
  
"Did Zabini just snog Chevalier?" Bulstrode shrieked suddenly.  
  
They all looked.  
  
_____________ __________  
  
Draco's eagle owl landed at Eva's feet. She took the parchment and handed it to Artemis, who read it aloud. "Dear Fowl, try to control the sick, perverted actions of your followers. Yeah, we saw that, Zabini! You snogged her! Signed, Malfoy's Company." Artemis turned amused eyes on the couple, who were blushing. "Is there a reply?"  
  
"Tell that voyeur to mind his own business!" Zabini snapped.  
  
"Dear Peeping Draco," wrote Artemis, "Zabini says keep your eyes and your thoughts to yourself. And Marie said that she expected more understanding from your female followers."  
  
"Does that sound too much like camp followers?" Eva asked.  
  
No one cared. They sent it off with Zabini's hawk.  
  
The reply came quickly. "Fowl, everything is my business. So keep out of my way. Malfoy."  
  
Artemis shook his head. "Back to threats," he sighed.  
  
"I rather imagine he's still mad at you about yesterday," Zabini shrugged.  
  
"I did send him Goyle and Crabbe."  
  
"Yeah, but he still had to go to the hospital wing."  
  
"But he got Goyle to explain the problem for him. He didn't have to resort to charades."  
  
"Malfoy is not the forgiving sort," said Eva.  
  
A shadow fell across them. "Hey, Bole," they greeted him.  
  
"Eva's brother!" Chevalier waved at him.  
  
"I need to borrow you a moment, little sister," Galileo Bole said, holding out his hand to help her up.  
  
She allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "What's up, Leo?"  
  
"It'll just take a second," he hedged, leading her away.  
  
"What message are you sending him?" Marie asked, after sending one last curious look after the Bole siblings.  
  
Artemis looked up from the parchment. "Malfoy, I would be more than happy to keep my distance from you. So why do you keep stalking me? Signed, Artemis Fowl."  
  
They grinned. Zabini reached over and read through Eva's Transfiguration homework, copying down a few answers. His hawk landed on his head. He took the message and read it out. "Stalking is more in your league. You're the one with the Criminal Father."  
  
Artemis's face tightened and he turned to look out across the lake.  
  
"Here comes Eva," Chevalier interrupted in relief at the distraction. "What did Leo want?"  
  
She sat down. "He's fighting with his girlfriend. He needed 'advice from a female's perspective.'"  
  
Marie giggled. "So, did you help out?"  
  
"I advised him against sending the hideous poem he'd composed. It went something like: I messed up. Deal with it. Let's shag tonight."  
  
Even Zabini shuddered. "Not very conducive to forgiveness."  
  
"No. Blaise, are you stealing my answers?" She grabbed her homework away from him.  
  
"Come on, Bole. . ."  
  
"What are you sending him, Artemis?" Chevalier demanded nervously.  
  
Artemis looked at what he'd written, then crumpled it up. "Better not be that. I'm going to go check on my owl. How's come Malfoy and Zabini's are always around and mine never leaves the Owlery?" He stood up.  
  
Bole stood. "You are not going anywhere alone. Malfoy's after you, somebody's petrifying people, Flint's been whispering you're the Heir. . ."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Didn't you know?" The three of them all looked at him.  
  
"No. I didn't. Why?"  
  
"Because you disappeared the night of the Quidditch match, and then that Creevy kid wound up petrified. You're new and you're Slytherin, and well, you're intimidating, so he thinks you're capable."  
  
"Well, I'm not the Heir."  
  
"Oh, we know. But you notice Pucey has been avoiding you lately? That's why," Zabini told him seriously.  
  
Artemis frowned, thinking, when a small, bedraggled owl crashed into his back and fell to the ground, stunned. Artemis bent over, picked it up, and gathered the parchment from his leg. "For me."  
  
"Who's it from?" Eva frowned at the bird, trying to remember why it seemed familiar.  
  
"It's nothing important," Artemis insisted. "I'll be fine."  
  
They let him go, staring after him with misgiving, which only increased when they noticed a few minutes later that Malfoy had disappeared, too.  
  
___________ __________  
  
A/N: Thanks again everybody, for reviewing! Holly is going to be entering the story eventually, but it's not going to be for quite awhile yet. Keep reading, your patience will be rewarded. 


	11. 11 The Duel

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Artemis met Granger, Weasley, and Potter behind a statue outside the Great Hall. "Well?"  
  
"We're putting a lot of trust in you, Fowl." Potter stared into his eyes, as if trying to see into his soul. "Against some of our better judgments, I might add. You may be nicer than most, but you're still as Slytherin as they come."  
  
Artemis raised his eyebrows. "Indeed."  
  
"But we've come this far." Granger sighed. "So we'll tell you that we talked to Hagrid."  
  
"Yes. Your note said."  
  
"He was the scapegoat," Weasley blurted. "He was expelled for opening the Chamber-but it wasn't him!"  
  
"One of the Prefects found him with a monster in his possession," Potter explained. "But it wasn't from the Chamber. And it wasn't the monster that was killing people. But he was blamed for it all, and they expelled him."  
  
"What kind of creature?"  
  
"A giant spider."  
  
"Back to spiders. . ."  
  
"It escaped. It's still alive in the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid thinks the other, everyday spiders are running to it. But he doesn't know why they're- abandoning ship, so to speak."  
  
"You believe he's innocent?"  
  
"Yes. And so does Dumbledore. Which is why he lets him work here."  
  
Artemis drummed his fingers against his leg, thinking. "Who turned him in?"  
  
Weasley shrugged. "He just said a prefect."  
  
"Find out the name-and what sort of monster are spiders afraid of?"  
  
"I've been trying to figure that out since the beginning," Granger said, "but no ideas yet."  
  
"We'll both keep looking. At any rate, I believe you. I don't think it was Hagrid."  
  
"Why don't you?" They looked pleased but confused.  
  
"I think Dumbledore's assessments of people are usually pretty accurate. It he thinks Hagrid's innocent, well, he probably is."  
  
"I didn't think you liked Dumbledore," Potter frowned.  
  
"I don't. What does that have to do with it?"  
  
"Oh, never mind. I think we've spent enough time together."  
  
Artemis smirked. "Gryffindors. So little patience. That's why Slytherins always eventually beat you."  
  
"Oh, do they? How?" Weasley sneered.  
  
"Because. Long after you've given up, we're still plotting our revenge. And long after you've forgotten to be wary, we're still waiting to strike." He leaned in just a little closer, and involuntarily, they all stepped backward. "And when we finally do, you never see it coming."  
  
"You know, if you're trying to be reassuring, you're failing," Granger managed after a moment.  
  
Artemis laughed. "Forget it. Just run along. But get me that prefect's name- and his House."  
  
They nodded and walked away. Artemis waited a minute, then started to leave as well. But before he could move, his path was blocked by Draco Malfoy. Artemis's eyes narrowed as his anger re-sparked. "Malfoy."  
  
Draco knew from the look and the tone that Artemis was seriously angry but wasn't sure why. Had he just not wanted to get caught? "Conspiring with Mudbloods and Gryffindors again, are we?"  
  
"I told you I'd have to find out what they learned from Hagrid."  
  
"You said you'd have to talk them into it. That implies a certain amount of manipulation over inferiors-but to me, it looked like you were one big happy, friendly family."  
  
"I do what I have to, and I don't have to explain myself to you, Malfoy. Now get out of my way." Artemis stalked forward and shoved Draco aside.  
  
Draco scowled and caught his arm. "What is your problem?"  
  
"Maybe I just don't like you."  
  
Now Draco was angry. "You think that's supposed to bother me? I'm a Malfoy; I don't need. . ."  
  
"Ah yes, a Malfoy. I know. Everybody knows, and no one cares, because we all know what being a Malfoy is actually worth."  
  
They were in each other's faces now, voices low and dangerous, eyes glittering with fury. "What do you mean by that?" Draco asked, enunciating each word clearly.  
  
"What do you think?" Artemis returned.  
  
"Malfoys are certainly worth more than Fowls. . ."  
  
"Don't you dare insult my father again!" Artemis's hand was in his pocket, clenched around his wand.  
  
But Draco, suddenly, was calm. "Is that what this is all about? Because I made that crack about your criminal father?"  
  
"Just go away and leave me alone!"  
  
Draco straightened, stepped back, face clear and ingenuous, voice reasonable. "But you haven't told me about Hagrid yet."  
  
"Why should I? You only want to know about the Chamber so you can let loose whatever's in there to kill people." Artemis pushed past him and hurried down the hall.  
  
Draco stayed where he was, staring after him, thoughts racing. His stomach was uneasy, and he bit his lip. He had to admit that he did not want some monster killing Fowl. Granger was another story, but. . .  
  
Ugh! Could Fowl be right? Was this whole idea of cleansing and killing people wrong? Was his father wrong? Did he really allow himself to believe whatever Lucius Malfoy thought? Could he stop, even if he tried?  
  
Should he? Should he try to reclaim the soul no one even believed he had?  
  
He didn't dare. He couldn't let his father know that he disagreed with him- because his father would find out. He always found out.  
  
Why did his father keep such careful track of his transgressions and ignore everything else? The owl Snape sent saying his Potions grades were the best of anyone in the last five years. His victory at Quidditch. His last letter home. None of it answered or remarked on.  
  
He smiled, a bitter, bleeding smile. Yes. He knew what being a Malfoy was worth.  
  
____________ ___________  
  
Artemis was so busy muttering about Malfoy that he came very near to colliding with someone as he rounded a corner. The someone yelped and sidestepped and he stopped abruptly.  
  
"Sorry-oh, hey, Weasley."  
  
The Weasley looked at him with wide, frightened eyes and nodded. "Fowl."  
  
Artemis frowned at her. True, he'd only talked to her a couple times, but she seemed pale and tired. "Are you doing all right?"  
  
She assumed a false, brittle smile. "Fine."  
  
He shook his head. "No, you're not."  
  
"I'm fine," she insisted.  
  
"Is that Zabini's hawk on your shoulder?"  
  
She untensed a little, sighed, and nodded. "He's always trying to eat my hair. Does he have a name, by the way?"  
  
"Mostly, we just call him hawk, but I think his real name is Bon."  
  
"Bon? What kind of name is that?"  
  
"Don't ask me, blame Zabini." He smiled.  
  
She smiled back, a real smile this time.  
  
Artemis wasn't very good at making trivial conversation. He tried to think of something else to say. 'I hear you're all purebloods, but you got Sorted into Gryffindor and you like Muggles' didn't seem appropriate. Nor did anything else that came to mind. There was an awkward silence. The girl was starting to fidget and edge away when Artemis asked, "Do you play Quidditch like your brothers?"  
  
She blinked. "Oh, um, yeah. We play at home all the time. I'm the littlest, of course, but I'm light and pretty fast."  
  
He nodded solemnly. "You should try out next year."  
  
She blushed. "Oh, I don't think so. I better go." She would no longer meet his gaze.  
  
"OK. Bye."  
  
"Bye!" She scurried away. He stared after her.  
  
_________ _________  
  
Draco tossed and turned in bed that night. He had to stop trying to second guess all his beliefs. He couldn't turn his world upside down so thoroughly. He would lose his friends, his family, and his status in Slytherin House, and he would gain nothing for it except pain. His father. . . his father would. . .  
  
No! This was ridiculous. There was nothing wrong with what he believed. It was all Fowl's fault. He was playing mind games. He was doing it deliberately. Draco had almost forgotten his intense anger at Artemis Fowl of the other day, his vow for revenge. But now it all came back to him.  
  
That Fowl boy was nothing, not worth thinking about. And he would make sure that everyone knew it.  
  
___________ __________  
  
"They're starting a dueling club," Crabbe and Goyle announced to the table at large at dinner two days later. "There was a notice on the board."  
  
"Cassandra Kroell read it to us."  
  
Everyone was instantly intrigued. Draco and Pansy began whispering on one side. Zabini turned to Artemis on the other end of the table. "What do you think?"  
  
"I think Malfoy will be in it," Artemis replied. "So it behooves us to go as well. Looking out for own interests and all that."  
  
Zabini nodded. "Too true, mate." He grinned. "Besides, it sounds fun."  
  
At 8:00 they headed to the Great Hall with Bole and Chevalier. A stage had been set up along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The place was crowded with excited students, all wanting to perform hexes.  
  
"Most of the school must be here," Zabini said in wonder.  
  
"There's Malfoy, glaring at Potter." They edged closer to him.  
  
"It's Professor Snape," Bole pointed to the stage, where Snape and Lockhart were entering.  
  
"And Lockhart." Zabini's lip curled. "He's wearing purple."  
  
"Gather round!" Lockhart called. "Now, Prof. Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this dueling club to train you to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions-for full details, see my published works."  
  
Artemis rolled his eyes. "This guy is such a fraud," he whispered to Zabini.  
  
"Let me introduce my assistant, Prof. Snape," Lockhart continued, smiling. "He knows a tiny bit about dueling himself and has agreed to help me with a demonstration. Don't worry, though-you'll still have your Potions Master when I'm through with him!"  
  
Artemis heard Draco snort, and hiss to Goyle, "Snape's gonna kick his beauty-charmed teeth in!" Artemis smiled.  
  
Lockhart and Snape faced each other. Lockhart bowed; Snape jerked his head irritably. They raised their wands like swords in front of them. "This is the accepted combative position," Lockhart informed them. "On the count of 3, we cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."  
  
Artemis and Zabini looked at Snape, then at each other, and smirked.  
  
"1-2-3. . ."  
  
Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried, "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet, off the stage, and into the wall. Most of the Slytherins cheered. "What'd I tell you?" Draco said, grinning.  
  
Lockhart got unsteadily to his feet and tottered back onto the platform. "Well there you have it! A Disarming Charm-as you can see, I've lost my wand-ah, thank you, Miss Brown-yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Prof. Snape, but it was obvious what you were about to do. If I'd wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy-but I felt it would be instructive to let them see. . ."  
  
"Slippery, isn't he?" Zabini commented.  
  
Snape gave him a look that clearly threatened his impending demise. Lockhart gulped. "Enough demonstrating! We'll put you all in pairs." The two professors moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Snape split up Potter and Company, and put him with Malfoy, and Granger with Bulstrode.  
  
"That'll be interesting," Bole said, eyebrows raised. She paired up with Marie, and Artemis with Blaise.  
  
"Face your partners!" Lockhart called, "and bow!"  
  
Artemis and Zabini (sort of) did so, but they kept half an eye on Malfoy and Potter.  
  
"Wands at the ready! Disarm only-we don't want any accidents. When I count 3. . . 1-2-3. . ."  
  
Artemis was a little bit quicker, and Blaise was disarmed. As he was retrieving his wand, Artemis moved to stand by Malfoy and Potter, whose duel was escalating out of control.  
  
Potter had hit Malfoy with a Tickling Charm, and though Draco could hardly breathe for laughing, he hit Potter with "Tarantallegre!" causing Potter to dance around. Lockhart was unable to stop them, but Snape strode in. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted, restoring order.  
  
Artemis looked around. Chaos. Students were lying on the floor, in dazed heaps, and Bulstrode had Granger in a headlock. Potter pulled her off with effort.  
  
"Not bad, Malfoy," Artemis said to him. Draco tensed. "You stayed focused long enough to hex him-on the other hand, you're still getting too emotional."  
  
Draco took a deep breath and glared at him, but remained silent.  
  
"Dear, dear," fretted Lockhart, as he attempted to undo some of the damage. "Up you go, careful there, it'll stop bleeding in a second. . . um. . . I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells. Let's have a volunteer pair-Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you. . ."  
  
"Bad idea, Professor," Snape cut him off, gliding over, eyes glittering dangerously. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox. How about Malfoy and Potter?"  
  
"Fame and glory again," Artemis murmured.  
  
"Excellent idea!" Lockhart gestured the two boys into the middle of the hall. The crowd backed away to give them room, except for Artemis, who moved closer.  
  
"Now, Harry," said Lockhart, "when Draco points his wand at you, do this." He waved his wand around and dropped it. The Slytherins smirked.  
  
So did Snape, who bent down and whispered something in Malfoy's ear.  
  
"Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?" Potter asked Lockhart nervously.  
  
"Scared?" muttered Malfoy.  
  
"You wish," Potter retorted.  
  
Lockhart clapped Potter on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry."  
  
"What, drop my wand?"  
  
"3-2-1-go!"  
  
Malfoy raised his wand quickly and shouted, "Serpensortia!"  
  
The end of his wand exploded. Potter watched, looking a bit sickly, as a long black snake fell out of it and raised itself to strike. People in the crowd screamed and backed away.  
  
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Potter standing frozen, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it."  
  
"Allow me!" Lockhart exclaimed. Artemis winced.  
  
Lockhart brandished his wand at the snake; there was a loud bang. The snake flew 10 feet into the air, then slammed back down, hard. It was not happy. It moved for Justin Finch-Fletchley, poised to strike.  
  
And then Potter strode forward and said-something. A creepy sort of hissing, as if he was speaking Snake. And the snake calmly slithered away from Finch-Fletchley to look docilely at Potter.  
  
Potter seemed quite happy with this achievement, but Justin was scared and angry. "What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and stormed out of the hall.  
  
Potter looked blank and confused. The students all around had started muttering to each other, staring at him with threat and suspicion. Snape stepped forward and caused the snake to disappear. Then Weasley and Granger pulled Potter out of the hall.  
  
"I don't believe it," Zabini said. "Potter's a Parselmouth!"  
  
"A what?"  
  
Zabini and the girls turned to stare at him. "Don't you know what a Parselmouth is? It means you can talk to snakes. Salazar Slytherin was famous for it. It's why our symbol is a serpent."  
  
Chevalier's forehead wrinkled with apprehension. "Do you suppose Potter really is Slytherin's Heir?"  
  
"The Dark Lord could talk to snakes, too," Goyle murmured to them, as he and Crabbe came to stand next to them.  
  
Then Malfoy's voice cut through the din. "What do you mean over? Potter didn't display a blocking charm at all; that was hardly an adequate demonstration. I want to duel Fowl."  
  
They all turned to see Malfoy ordering Lockhart around. He was still standing in the middle of the room, wand out, confident smirk on his face.  
  
Artemis didn't know whether to feel amused, annoyed-or even worried. "It would appear that I've been challenged."  
  
"I bet he had something tricky planned. . ."  
  
But Malfoy was looking at him now, he couldn't back down. "Come on, Fowl, let's go."  
  
"All right," Artemis said nonchalantly, and strode casually over, with a confidence and arrogance fully matching Draco's own.  
  
Neither of them bowed, they just moved their wands to the ready position. They never dropped each other's eyes, or let their superior smiles fade.  
  
Against Lockhart's better judgment, he started counting. "1-2-3."  
  
They were both moving their wands on 2, and saying their spells by 3. Artemis was suddenly covered by a foul-smelling, oozing slime. It ran into his eyes and clogged his nose. Draco managed to dodge whatever Artemis had sent him. Artemis choked a bit, wiping his face. Draco cast "Ardentis Scipio!" causing Artemis's wand to burn his hands. But Artemis gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and snapped, "Flavi!"  
  
There was a blinding light. Draco cried out and clapped a hand over his eyes. Artemis opened his as soon as the light died and said calmly, "Expelliarmus."  
  
Draco was propelled backwards, losing his wand.  
  
Artemis wiped at his face again and walked over and picked up Draco's wand. "And so the Malfoy goes down to Artemis Fowl," he taunted.  
  
Draco still had spots in front of his eyes, and his body ached from hitting the floor, but he launched himself up from the ground, threw himself on Fowl, and punched him in the stomach and the jaw. Crabbe and Goyle ran over and pulled him off.  
  
Artemis sat up, rubbing his jaw, eyes glinting. "Sore loser, are you, Malfoy?"  
  
"Fowls are not better than Malfoys," he spit out.  
  
"What evidence do you have that supports that?"  
  
"Ten Galleons on Fowl!" a loud voice cried out. One of the Weasley twins.  
  
Both boys blushed. Snape hurried over and stepped in between them. "Remember our little discussion about not dishonoring Slytherin House and behaving civilly to each other?"  
  
Malfoy went still so Crabbe and Goyle let him go and backed away. They didn't want to be under Snape's gaze. "Fowl, back to your dormitory," Snape ordered. "Malfoy, go to my office. I'll be along in a minute."  
  
"Why isn't he going to your office?"  
  
"He didn't just attack his dueling partner," Snape replied dryly.  
  
Malfoy scowled, but went. Artemis shrugged and left, too. Zabini and the girls went with him; Crabbe and Goyle and Parkinson and Bulstrode trailed along behind. They could hear Lockhart saying, "I think that's enough for today's meeting," as the door closed after them.  
  
___________ ____________ 


	12. 12

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"Dear Butler, please phone my mother and let her know I'll be staying here over Christmas. Tell her I have some unfinished projects to take care of. How would you like to visit me over the holidays? I really want to introduce you to Malfoy. Be as threatening as you like."  
  
Artemis clicked send on his computer and closed up his email. He was just hiding the fairy-powered computer back in his trunk when Crabbe and Goyle came in.  
  
"You two look depressed," he said, locking his trunk.  
  
Crabbe scuffed his foot on the floor. "Draco's really mad at you."  
  
"I'm the one who got punched."  
  
"He feels you humiliated him in front of everybody."  
  
"He should have won the duel then. He challenged me, remember."  
  
Goyle sighed. "I wish you two would get along."  
  
"To tell you the truth, I'm rather unhappy with him right now, as well."  
  
"He can't help it," Crabbe argued. "He's a Malfoy. He was raised that way."  
  
"What way?"  
  
"With his father telling him he had to be better than everyone else."  
  
Artemis sat down on his bed. "Yeah, well, my father told me that the most important thing in life is gold. Aurum Est Potestas."  
  
Goyle frowned. "Is your father really a criminal mastermind?"  
  
"No. My father is a businessman. *I* am a criminal mastermind."  
  
"Draco says. . ."  
  
Artemis jumped up. "I don't want to hear what Malfoy has to say about my father. He better keep his mouth shut about my father!"  
  
"OK, OK!" Crabbe held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Sorry."  
  
"Yeah, well, you keep Malfoy away from me. Then we'll be less likely to fight."  
  
_________ _________  
  
Draco left Snape's office sulky and irritable; nevertheless, Crabbe and Golye decided to try again. "Can't you stop going after Fowl all the time? Please?"  
  
"I can't believe you're even asking! Especially after what just happened!"  
  
"Well, you did punch him. Twice," Goyle pointed out.  
  
"He deserved it! I had to defend the Malfoy name!"  
  
"Maybe you two could give it a rest with the whole family name business," Crabbe suggested hesitantly but quite seriously. "You don't hear the rest of us going on about our ancestors all the time."  
  
"And don't even start with, 'that's because I have worthier ancestors,'" Goyle jumped in immediately.  
  
Draco frowned. "Why are you both ganging up on me? You're supposed to be on my side!"  
  
"Draco, you've been our friend forever. That's why we sit with you and guard your back. But we're not on either side."  
  
"We're working for a truce between you someday."  
  
Draco shook his head and started pacing in front of the common room fire. "I can't believe this!"  
  
"He's upset right now, too, you know," Crabbe said. "He didn't like you hitting him."  
  
Draco's lip curled. "Naturally. He's not really a very good fighter. But if it makes you feel better, I don't plan on hitting him again." It's too much- -a loss of control, Draco thought. Too emotional. I have to keep my head clear. Oh, he is a smart one, that Fowl. And cool as ice.  
  
"Really? Maybe you could lay off about his father, too." Goyle was flushed with his seeming success at persuasion. Draco hardly ever let them talk this long.  
  
Crabbe felt encouraged, too. "Yeah, that upsets him."  
  
"Enough conditions," Draco snapped. "I could care less about Fowl's delicate feelings. Get that straight. I don't like him! Besides, nothing upsets him. He's got no emotions, not really. He's hard-core Slytherin, and it would do you two good to remember it."  
  
They exchanged confused glances. Draco groaned, disgusted. "Just forget it. I'm going to bed."  
  
He headed off to the dorm. Crabbe and Goyle shrugged, sighed, and followed.  
  
_________ __________  
  
Malfoy was glaring at him again. It was beginning to get annoying, but Artemis would never let on. He was going to ignore the arrogant, blonde git. That would irritate him more than anything. He returned his attention to Prof. Flitwick. Beside him, Zabini gave Malfoy one last scowl and did the same.  
  
"He's so stupid," Blaise wrote in the margin of his notes for Artemis to read. "He's still mad cause he wasn't competent enough to win that duel."  
  
"I know," Artemis wrote back. "I'm the one that should be mad. He did hit me, after all."  
  
"Do you reckon he's up to something?"  
  
"Knowing him. . ."  
  
His reply was interrupted by a loud voice, screeching, "Attack! Another attack! No mortal or ghost is safe! Run for your lives! Attaaack!"  
  
They exchanged startled glances. Prof. Flitwick fell off his chair with an "eep." The class went silent, then immediately started dreadful speculation. Artemis met Malfoy's gaze.  
  
Then Draco stood up and strode to the door of the classroom. Artemis clapped Zabini on the arm and followed. Blaise scrambled to follow him as Crabbe and Goyle jumped up to follow Malfoy. Then the whole class was on its feet and out into the hall, searching for the disturbance.  
  
They found a crowd of people in a huddle. They could see the head and shoulders of Nearly Headless Nick, hovering unmoving just above the students' backs, in the middle of the circle. People were milling about and talking until Prof. McGonagall pushed her way through the mob, firing off a bang from her wand, making everyone stop and go quiet.  
  
The quiet didn't last long. A boy in Hufflepuff robes ran up, yelling, "Caught in the act!" and pointing at Harry Potter.  
  
Artemis's eyes went wide as he followed the accusing finger past Potter to see another student lying petrified on the floor. And Nearly Headless Nick appeared to be petrified, as well. How could that happen? What could affect a ghost?  
  
Then Peeves the poltergeist started flitting around, singing, "Oh Potter, you rotter, what have you done, you're killing off students, you think it's good fun," until McGonagall made him stop.  
  
"For a poltergeist, he's very good at rhyme and meter," Draco said off- handedly to Artemis.  
  
Artemis would have been amused if anyone else had said it. As it was, he just looked at Draco as more teachers came and carried Justin Finch- Fletchley off to the Hospital Wing. Artemis wondered if it was only their presence that kept Malfoy from yelling more anti-Mudblood slogans. His eyes narrowed.  
  
Draco shifted in place. "What? It was just an observation."  
  
"You don't care that another student was lying petrified in front of you?"  
  
"He was a Hufflepuff and a Mudblood," Draco replied, softly.  
  
"He was human and your fellow classmate."  
  
"I hate you."  
  
Artemis took a step back. "You really *don't* have a soul. I didn't believe it until now."  
  
Draco went pale.  
  
"Excuse me," said a boy, who was trying to fan the ghost of Sir Nicholas down the hall and up the stairs. Malfoy moved aside without a word, alerting Artemis to his disturbed state.  
  
"This way, Potter," they heard McGonagall say off to the side.  
  
"Professor," Potter protested, "I swear I didn't. . ."  
  
"This is out of my hands now, Potter," she sighed, and led him away. They didn't even seem to notice the two boys left standing there.  
  
Then Artemis took a deep breath and said something he'd never expected to say to anyone, let alone Draco Malfoy. And he had no idea why he was saying it now, only--that last look Draco gave him before his eyes went blank--had he actually hurt him?  
  
"I'm sorry, Malfoy. I didn't mean it."  
  
Draco's eyes got huge.  
  
Artemis gave a strange half-smile. "Don't drop dead from surprise, right? I just--perhaps I was being unfocused and overly emotional."  
  
"I don't hate you," Draco blurted, then his eyes got even wider, and he flushed deeply. Then he spun around and hurried away, almost running.  
  
Artemis stared after him, confused, shocked, flustered, and not feeling at all logical. But he pulled himself together after mere moments and headed for Gryffindor Tower.  
  
He timed it right; three First Year girls were climbing into the portrait hole as he arrived. "Wait!" he called to them. They stopped and turned to stare at him--an older Slytherin male--with trepidation.  
  
"You're friends with Ginny Weasley, right?" he said to them, trying to appear harmless. "I need to talk to her brother, Ron, or to Granger. Could you see if they're in there for me? Please?"  
  
They looked at each other uncertainly. "OK. . ." one mumbled at last.  
  
"Ruth!" another one squealed.  
  
"It won't hurt anything!" She looked at Artemis. "Wait there." Then all three disappeared inside.  
  
He waited. After a long moment, Granger stuck her head out. She looked sick with worry. "You heard?" he asked her.  
  
She nodded. "Everyone ran back here to gossip."  
  
She came out into the hall, and a few seconds later, Weasley appeared and joined them.  
  
"What could petrify a ghost?" Hermione's face was full of misery.  
  
"Did you get me a name yet?"  
  
"Tom Riddle," she answered.  
  
"Slytherin," Weasley supplied with suspicious eyes.  
  
Artemis sighed. "Naturally."  
  
"I did a little research on him already. I looked in old Hogwarts yearbooks. He was a model student. Prefect, Head Boy, popular--despite being a Slytherin. Everyone was sure he'd be somebody after he graduated. Somebody spectacular."  
  
"So what became of him?"  
  
"He disappeared off the face of the earth! I couldn't find any references to him anywhere."  
  
"Riddle. . . is that a pureblood family?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
"Thanks." He watched Granger wring her hands a moment longer, then, "They won't expel him. Not any evidence."  
  
"You think?" Weasley sounded as if he wasn't daring to hope.  
  
"Come on, is Dumbledore going to be taken in? He knows Potter."  
  
They both looked a bit happier. "That's true. . ."  
  
"There you go then." They smiled at him. "I better go."  
  
"All right. See you later, Fowl."  
  
"Yes." He marveled a little as he walked away. They'd actually seemed quite accepting of him there at the end.  
  
___________ __________  
  
Draco cursed himself roundly. What had he been thinking? Why did he *say* that? And then he had fled, like a shamed coward. If his father ever knew. . . hn, if his mother knew, either one would order him beaten for *that* little spectacle. Disgraceful.  
  
But he knew what he'd been thinking. He flushed again, remembering. He'd been feeling guilty, he'd been thinking that he didn't want Fowl to look at him the way he'd been looking, and all because of some stupid Mudblood and a Gryffindor ghost.  
  
He'd been thinking that he wanted Fowl to respect him, and that it might be nice to be friends as well as rivals. And why in Merlin's name would he think that? What was his *problem*?  
  
But it was true that he didn't hate Fowl, after all, and he didn't want Fowl to hate him.  
  
He sat cross-legged on his bed, curtains drawn, and concentrated on nothing but breathing in and out, until the voices in his head--Father's and Fowl's- -finally could no longer be heard. Suddenly he heard Potter's voice instead. "I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Why can't I? "No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy." Think for yourself.  
  
Breathe in and out.  
  
_____________ __________  
  
Artemis sat on his bed, three books open in front of him, and debated which to read first. One was his Astronomy textbook, one was The Theory of Alchemy, and one was A Wizard's Genealogy. After a moment he sighed, took one last regretful look at alchemy, shoved aside all worries about astronomy homework, and picked up the genealogy.  
  
A couple hours later, he gave up in defeat. He would have to do this another way. That meant cross-referencing newspaper archives. He got up and headed for the library.  
  
He thought as he walked. He couldn't ask any of the teachers about him. They'd become suspicious. He was pretty sure by now the Ministry wasn't watching things here too closely, but he didn't want to draw any more attention to himself. He could've asked Madam Hooch, who he still visited with some regularity, but she hadn't been here 50 years ago. So. . .  
  
"Make way for the Heir of Slytherin! Seriously evil wizard coming through!" Two voices proclaimed loudly.  
  
Artemis looked up, startled, to see the Weasley twins frolicking ahead of Harry Potter down the corridor, shouting to everyone they passed. Artemis's eyebrows shot up.  
  
The other Weasley, the Prefect, came stalking over. "This is not a laughing matter," he said, tone dripping disapproval.  
  
Harry stopped, blushing. "I don't *tell* them to do it, they just do."  
  
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," ordered the one he thought was Fred, with a grin and wave of his hand. "Harry's in a hurry."  
  
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," George chortled.  
  
"Oh, don't!" cried Ginny, coming up behind them with Ron.  
  
Ron frowned. "You're upsetting Ginny."  
  
But they just laughed. George pranced on ahead, shouting again, "Make way! Make way!"  
  
"Oh," Ginny wailed, and hurried back the way she'd come, away from them. Ron spun and followed her.  
  
Harry sighed and continued walking. Percy argued with Fred a moment, then gave up. The other watching students just whispered to themselves behind their hands and edged away from Potter as he passed.  
  
"His fanged servant," Artemis mused, frowning.  
  
"What a disgusting display."  
  
Artemis turned his head. "Malfoy. You don't agree with the masses in thinking Potter is Slytherin's Heir?"  
  
"Of course not! His best friends are a Mudblood and a Muggle-lover!"  
  
"This is true."  
  
The Bloody Baron floated past them with a nod. "Baron," Artemis called impulsively.  
  
The ghost turned back around. Draco forced himself not to take a step backward. He didn't like the glowing, silver blood, Slytherin ghost or not. "Fifty years ago, a boy went to Hogwarts by the name of Tom Riddle. He was a Slytherin Prefect, Head Boy. What can you tell me about him?"  
  
"Won an award for special services to the school."  
  
"Pureblood?"  
  
The Bloody Baron eyed them speculatively. "Why do you want to know?"  
  
"Research project," said Malfoy. "That's not a pureblood name."  
  
"He was a half-blood," the Baron answered slowly, "if I remember correctly. Dad was a Muggle, Mother a witch, but he'd been orphaned. Consequently poor. But handsome, well-liked, by both students and teachers."  
  
"I don't suppose you know the names of his parents?"  
  
The Baron frowned. "I might have then, though it's unlikely. But it's been 50 years."  
  
"Do you know what happened to him after he graduated?"  
  
"No." The Baron was growing bored by the conversation, and started to fade into the wall.  
  
"Name of a girlfriend?" Draco hazarded.  
  
"Yes. Eunice Longbottom."  
  
"By any chance a relative of that moronic Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom?"  
  
The Baron thought. "I do believe it's his grandmother," he replied, then faded away.  
  
"Right then. Gryffindors should be in DADA right now." Artemis marched off. Draco followed. 


	13. 13

The Family Name By Elbereth in April

Chapter 13

"Name of a girlfriend?" Draco hazarded.

"Yes. Augusta Longbottom."

"By any chance a relative of that moronic Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom?"

The Baron thought. "I do believe it's his grandmother," he replied, then faded away.

"Right then. Gryffindors should be in DADA now, I think." Artemis marched off.

Draco followed. He wanted to learn more about the Chamber, and he knew that's what this must be about. That's all Artemis asked about lately.

"You know, Malfoy," Artemis said slowly, "maybe you shouldn't let Longbottom see you. He's liable to run away-or at least, not talk."

"I'll stay in the background."

Ten minutes later found them standing outside Lockhart's classroom as the Gyffindors streamed out. The Fab Trio stopped at seeing Artemis. Draco blended further into the crowd. "Are you here to see us?" Granger asked.

"Him." Artemis pointed at Neville, who was just leaving the room along with Dean Thomas. "Longbottom," he called, motioning him over.

He came, with Thomas. "Longbottom, I need to talk to you."

"OK," Longbottom agreed warily.

Artemis sighed. "Privately. Well, Granger could come, if you want."

The five Gryffindors looked at each other. Longbottom hesitated, but Granger said, "All right."

So Longbottom, Artemis, and Hermione walked back into the DADA classroom. Lockhart had gone back into his office, so they were alone.

"Is your grandmother named Eunice Longbottom?"

"Yes." Neville looked even warier.

"I heard that when she was at Hogwarts 50 years ago, she dated a guy named Tom Riddle. I need you to find out from her everything she'll tell you about him. I want the name of his parents, the town he was from, friends, enemies, grudges, hatreds, anything."

"I can't ask my grandmother about old boyfriends!"

"Do it, Neville," Granger instructed. "It's important."

"Hermione, what's this about? Why is this Slytherin asking me this?"

Granger bit her lip. "All I can say is, it's important to Hagrid. Please, Neville."

"Oh. . . well. . . all right. I'll ask her as soon as I get home for Christmas and owl you what I find out."

As soon as Granger and Longbottom left, Draco slipped into the classroom. "So he's going to ask her?"

"He'll ask her."

"He's scared of her, you know."

"She must be an interesting woman to date a Slytherin. I'm betting she was a Ravenclaw."

"Probably. Fowl, what does Riddle have to do with anything?"

"He's the Prefect who turned in Hagrid. You don't really think the Gamekeeper is the heir of Salazar Slytherin, do you?"

"That imbecile? No. Plus, he's half-giant!"

"I'm suspecting Riddle knew that, too. I think Hagrid was framed. I imagine Riddle was clever and-very Slytherin. I'm hoping for a lead."

"So then. We're relying on a Longbottom for information."

"Seems wrong, doesn't it?"

Draco actually smiled, then sneered. "He's an imbecile, too."

Artemis couldn't argue with that. "I'm going to go look up Eunice Longbottom in an old yearbook."

"Ooh, I'm coming. I bet she was ugly."

"No, she must have been pretty to have attracted a Slytherin."

"Oh, well, I forgot about that. You're right."

"Of course I am," Artemis smirked.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Shut up, arrogant prat."

"Same to you, conceited git."

They continued to the library in satisfied, companionable silence.

"Dear Artemis," read Butler's email, "Malfoy Manor was raided by the Ministry yesterday. They were looking for evidence that Lucius practices the Dark Arts, but they didn't find anything."

'Interesting.' Artemis thought. 'Not surprising they found nothing; none of the Malfoys are stupid. Well, I'll have to work this news into an insult soon.'

The next morning, most of the students left for the Christmas holidays. Artemis looked at Crabbe and Goyle after they'd all gone. They were standing just outside the castle steps. Malfoy had already disappeared inside, but they'd still been saying goodbye to their friends.

"Pretty funny, that scene with Zabini, huh?" Crabbe asked, chuckling in remembrance. Zabini had had to pry his hawk off Ron Weasley's head so he could leave.

Weasley had accused Blaise of deliberately siccing his hawk on him. "He was just eating your hair," Zabini sneered in return. "It'll probably make him sick; it's obviously of inferior quality."

Potter had had to stop Weasley from trying to hex Zabini in front of Snape, to the professor's disappointment. He'd just been waiting to take off House points.

"Whatever," Artemis said.

"Hey, maybe you and Draco could make a holiday truce?" Goyle inquired hopefully. "Christmas spirit and peace and all that?"

Artemis smiled and the two instinctively stepped back. "No."

"Please?"

"That's up to him. I won't start anything."

"Really, Draco, he wants a holiday truce," Crabbe told him when Malfoy turned up in their dorm room later that day.

Draco swallowed, then nodded. "Fine by me. As long as he doesn't pull anything, I won't, either."

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged looks of congratulations.

Christmas morning, Artemis woke up thinking his face felt strangely wet. When he opened his eyes, he saw a tiny little cloud above his head, snowing on him. He sat up abruptly and pushed back the bed curtains.

Stacked in the middle of the floor was an enormous pile of presents. Malfoy sat cross-legged next to them, eagerly searching for ones with his name on them. Everybody else was still asleep except Zabini, who was standing over his bed.

"Wake up, Fowl!" Zabini grinned. "It's a white Christmas and high time to get out of bed!"

"Thanks, Zabini," Artemis grumbled, getting up.

Shortly thereafter, all of the Second Years who had stayed for the holidays, both girls and boys, were sitting on the floor levitating presents at one another, while Blaise amused himself sending snow clouds after the girls.

"Fowl! You've got a gift from Hermione Granger!"

Everyone turned to stare at him. His eyebrows rose. "I do?"

"Feels like books," said Goyle, shaking it.

"How would you know?" Malfoy teased, making everyone laugh.

"It is books." Artemis ripped open the paper and tossed it aside. "The Magical History of Ireland" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

"Why would you be getting a present from a Gryffindor? And a girl?" Eva demanded.

"Are you two. . . you know. . ." Zabini waggled his eyebrows.

"No!" Artemis denied at once.

"They just get together and discuss theory and philosophy sometimes," Draco announced airily. "You know, since they both consider themselves to be so much smarter than the rest of us."

"Did you get her a gift?" Eva was pouting a bit now.

"No, actually."

"You should, quick," Marie said, "or you'll hurt her feelings."

Eva kicked her leg. "Ow!"

"I don't have anything suitable."

"Send her a spell," Crabbe suggested. "She'd like that."

They all turned to look at him.

"You know," Artemis mused, brow furrowed, "I think you're right."

Crabbe beamed.

"You're not really going to send a gift to a Mu. . ."

"Don't even start, Malfoy." Artemis threw a gift at him. "Here. You missed one."

"Huh. It's from Snape."

"A professor sending you gifts, Malfoy?" Artemis asked, one eyebrow raised. "Been brown-nosing?"

"He's friends with my father!"

"Here, Fowl." That was Goyle, looking strangely shy. "From us." Meaning him and Crabbe.

"Thank you." It was a large box of chocolate frogs. Artemis was amused.

They had reached the last of the gifts, Zabini's. He gave Malfoy a bottle of hair gel. "What's it hexed to do?" Draco asked dryly.

Zabini grinned, unrepentant. "Turn your hair red."

The mischievous glint in Blaise's eyes did not fade as Artemis picked up his present, so he unwrapped it very carefully. It turned out to be a silver plaque with the words "Fowls Are Better Than Malfoys" inscribed on it.

Artemis's mouth twitched. "Yes, well, thank you."

"There's more! If you wave your wand at it, like this. . ." The plaque then read out its message, in a very loud voice, "Fowls are better then Malfoys!"

"You are not displaying that in this dormitory," Draco insisted, glaring at them both.

"It's my present, I can put it wherever I wish."

"No, absolutely not."

"Fowls are better than Malfoys!"

"Bole!"

"What? My wand's right here."

"Fowls are better than Malfoys!"

"Zabini. . ."

"It wasn't me, it was Goyle," Zabini told him, laughing.

"Gregory. Look at me."

"OK, all right, I confess, but the first time it was Vince!"

"Maybe you should put it at the head of your bed," Chevalier suggested, smirking.

"Fowl, I will hex you and Zabini both into next week."

"Relax, Malfoy. It will start to annoy us all after awhile and be relegated to my trunk."

"In the mean time, why not put it in the bathroom?"

"Vince!"

Snape picked that moment to enter the dorm room, followed by a large man. "I'll overlook having girls in here this once," Snape said, glaring at them. "Mr. Fowl, you have a visitor."

Artemis stood up quickly. "Butler." Unable to help himself, he smiled. Butler came forward and shook his hand as Snape left.

'Why does that man rate a smile from Fowl?' Draco wondered, frowning.

"Happy Christmas, sir," Butler greeted him.

"You, too. How do you like the dungeons?"

"Dungeons are never the best place to be, defensively speaking." Butler frowned. "You are, essentially, trapped.

"Artemis, who's your guest?" Marie asked.

"This is Butler." He waved his hand around the group. "There are my fellow Second Year Slytherins. You remember Zabini." They nodded at each other. "And Malfoy."

Butler's voice turned cold. "Yes. Malfoy." He positioned himself in front of Draco, who sprang to his feet, feeling intimidated. Butler still loomed over him.

"I am Artemis's bodyguard," he growled. "I defend him with my life. I haven't liked some of the rumors I've been hearing since I arrived." He simply shifted, and his muscles bulged dangerously. "I've been trained to kill a man 132 ways, and that's just with my bare hands. I know 150 more ways to kill a man-or boy-with weapons."

"He took out a troll once," Artemis supplied, unwrapping a chocolate frog, "with nothing but brute strength."

Draco's eyes were wide. He gulped. "I haven't hurt him!"

"Good," Butler rumbled, "let's keep it that way."

Draco collapsed back into a seated position. Artemis looked around at the others, smirking. They looked awed and fearful.

"282 ways?" Crabbe broke the silence finally. Butler nodded.

"Took down a troll with your hands?" Goyle added. Another nod.

"Wow! We're not worthy," Crabbe breathed.

"You're our new hero!" Goyle looked at Butler with worship.

Draco let out a betrayed-sounding yelp.

Artemis managed to turn his laugh into a cough.

Artemis showed Butler around the castle. "So. . . what do you think?"

"This place is crazy. And that Prof. Snape of yours is a very dangerous man."

Artemis nodded. "This is true."

They stopped off in the Owlery, where Artemis sent his gift of a spell to Hermione Granger. It was an intricate, powerful locking charm he'd found in the library after much hunting his first day at Hogwarts.

Then they wandered the grounds a bit. On the Quidditch pitch, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were playing a trimmed-down version of the game with Eva's brother Leo, Montague, and a Sixth Year named Lacey. Artemis and Butler sat in the stands as Artemis explained the rules to him. It was there Madam Hooch found them. Artemis made the introductions, and there followed a discussion comparing Quidditch strategy and defensive tactics, martial arts, guerrilla warfare, stakeouts, and advanced weaponry. Artemis found it fascinating.

Just as the discussion was winding down, Artemis heard a voice calling his name from under the bleachers. Butler, of course, was instantly alert. "It's all right," Artemis reassured him. "It's just Granger. I'll be back in a minute."

He climbed down and went to join her. She had Weasley and Potter with her, as always, and was holding a letter. "We got Neville's owl!"

Artemis's eyes lit up. "What's it say? Let me read it."

She handed it over. "Dear Hermione, I asked Gran about Tom Riddle. I thought she'd be mad, but she ended up fondly reminiscing about her school days. She went on for hours! I couldn't get to stay on topic very well. Anyway, here's what I found out:

"They dated 5th and 6th year, but broke up because 'the spark wasn't there anymore.' Plus she was getting a 'weird feeling about him.' She was in Ravenclaw, and she didn't usually believe in things like bad vibes, but when he started acting restless, like she was feeling, she wasn't sorry to see him go.

"He was an orphan, no siblings, no money. His mom was a witch and a pureblood, but the man was a Muggle. Shortly after she got pregnant, he abandoned her. She gave birth and died, and he got put in a Muggle orphanage, where he lived til he came to Hogwarts. Because of this, he hated Muggles, though he put on a good face around most people. He could be very charming if he wanted. He told lies very well. His dad's name was also Tom Riddle. His mom's last name was Gaunt (don't they have very distant ties to the Averys?). She didn't know her first name.

"He hated a lot of things. Muggles. People who looked down on him for being poor. He held grudges-for a long time. He liked snakes. And he tried not to show it too obviously, but he liked power. He liked being a Prefect, and Head Boy. He was very ambitious, but Gran says that's not necessarily a bad thing. He was very good-looking, she said, and very popular, even though he was a Slytherin. She wonders whatever happened to him.

"I hope that's good enough for you, Hermione. I really don't want to ask her anymore. Neville."

Artemis looked up at the three of them. They had been watching him read.

"Did that tell you anything?" Weasley asked.

"Another place to go looking. Thanks for the gift, Granger, by the way."

She smiled. "You, too. That spell will come in quite handy."

Artemis's mind kept turning things over and over. "Potter-did you know you were a Parseltongue before that duel?"

"What? Oh. No. I didn't even realize I was speaking in another language," Potter confessed.

"We're missing something somewhere."

"All I know is, everybody thinks I'm Slytherin's bloody Heir!"

"Only the students. The professors all think it's Fowl."

The Gryffindors spun around, but Artemis had known Malfoy was coming up behind them. "Do they?"

Malfoy smirked and crossed his arms. "Yes. I meant to tell you after this morning, but your. . . bodyguard was there. He seems quite taken with Hootch, incidentally."

Artemis ignored this. "Win your Quidditch game?"

"Of course. Anyway, I woke up about 6 AM and couldn't go back to sleep, so I went to the kitchen, and on my way I passed the staff room. The professors were all in there, drinking egg-nog and discussing it all, and McGonagall said she still felt sure you were bad if not outright evil, and Sprout said she was sure you *were* outright evil, and Flitwick said you *had* to be Slytherin's Heir, and that was why the Ministry hadn't. . . um, I'll ask you about that part of it later," he finished with a glance at the Trio.

"What did Dumbledore say?"

"There's no evidence to connect you with any wrong-doing. But I couldn't tell if he thought that made you innocent."

Artemis shrugged. He didn't care what anyone believed. "I have to get back to Butler. And spend some time in the library."

"Keep that letter. It's a copy I made for you."

"Thanks. Go away now, Malfoy."

"No, I think I'll follow you awhile longer."

"Again? Ah well, I'm sure Potter would enjoy seeing Butler run you off."

"You're annoying me, Fowl."

"Then I've done what I set out to do, Malfoy."

They emerged from the shadow of the bleachers. Just behind them, the Trio scowled at Malfoy one last time and moved on.

As soon as they were out of hearing range, Draco asked what he'd been dying of curiosity to ask all morning. "Flitwick said the Ministry blocked your magic until you were 'of a more mature age to handle power' and they must have been wrong to give it back because you must be evil, as they suspected, and they should have 'continued to monitor your behavior' even though Dumbledore didn't want them to."

"He'll only be getting coal in his stocking from me," Artemis responded, looking up to the stands where Butler sat with Madam Hooch. They did appear to be getting along rather well.

"Is it true?"

Artemis sighed and met his eyes. "I assume you're asking about the Ministry part and not the evil Heir of Slytherin part."

"I know you're not killing people. You're only moderately evil. Besides, we were both in class before the last attack-*with* Flitwick, if he'd stop to think about it."

His father partially controlled the Minister, Artemis remembered Butler reporting to him. "Yes. Dumbledore told me I started showing magic at age 7 and they panicked, because I'd shown all the signs of turning out to be a criminal mastermind like my Fowl ancestors before me. Rather than let me loose on the Muggle world, they blocked my magic and kept watching me. Dumbledore finally talked them into taking the block off so I could come to Hogwarts, and he insisted no one could watch any of his students, so they had to stop." He paused, then added, "And they haven't been watching. I've checked."

"Well, that's. . . that's good for you, then."

"Your father. He works with the Ministry. He would know all this, I suppose. He ever warn you against me?"

"I've never mentioned you to him."

Artemis raised his eyebrows. "I thought you went complaining to your father over the least little thing. That's what Bulstrode said. She said you'd probably owled him first thing, to have him use his mighty Governor powers to try to get me expelled."

Draco flushed. "No."

"Why haven't you?"

"Because he might have ordered me to leave you alone."

Silence. Artemis suddenly became aware that Butler was moving down toward them.

"Do you want me to ask him what the Ministry has said about you?" Draco asked, looking at the ground.

"Yes."

"OK. See you round."

"Wait-you want to research Riddle with me? I'm going to the library next."

Draco looked back up at him. His eyes were shining. "Yeah, OK."

A/N: To all my reviewers: Thank you for reading-and liking!, and Merry Christmas!

Earth Borne: I've always suspected Crabbe and Goyle were more intelligent than they got credit for. . .

Pencil3: You're so kind! I'm blushing! Have a cookie!

floramorada: Thanks, I'm glad you like it. Fear not, it shall be finished. Oh yeah.

Shi-no-Nezumi: I am hoping to keep going through the years. I'm having so much fun writing this, I don't want to stop.

Dark Puck: I was considering doing more with Butler threatening Draco but I didn't want to go overboard. Hope you enjoyed.

Lunaceress: No mention of Neville's grandma and Riddle in the book. That's my own invention. . . What does that say about my mind?

AuroraRose1: Feel free to keep correcting my Latin. (

ashes2ashes, The CheezHead, and Spasmodic dust bunny: You know, I honestly never thought pairing Riddle and Mrs. Longbottom was *that* amazing, but everyone seems to think so. . . (

Kelsey: We'll get to Holly, pixies, and Lockhart eventually. Oh yeah.

JealousAlmonds, flamin, delle, P.D. Yerf, and Anthony1234: I love my reviewers!


	14. 14

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"You want to research Riddle with me? I'm going to the library next."  
  
___________ __________  
  
Back to yearbooks, news archives, and genealogies. Draco took the mother and Artemis the father. Butler helped.  
  
As Draco was sorting through articles, he said, "This reminds me, I was going to show this to Crabbe and Goyle, but you'll probably find it interesting, too. Here, read this."  
  
It was a Daily Prophet article about Mr. Weasley, who was fined 50 Galleons for bewitching the car Ron and Harry had flown to school. Mr. Malfoy was calling for his resignation as Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. He was quoted as saying Weasley was unfit to draw up laws and "his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."  
  
"Funny, huh?"  
  
"Well, it does make sense he should resign his position." Artemis handed the article to Butler to read.  
  
"What are we looking for exactly, Fowl?"  
  
"Look for a connection with Salazar Slytherin, or anyone at Hogwarts. Or snakes," he added as an afterthought.  
  
"Hey, maybe it's a professor."  
  
"Maybe Lockhart's incompetence is a cover."  
  
"Maybe it's Longbottom. Maybe his grandfather is actually Riddle."  
  
"Who's more incompetent, do you think, Longbottom or Lockhart?"  
  
Draco's forehead wrinkled. "That's a tough one."  
  
__________ __________  
  
The Christmas feast was fun. The Great Hall had been decorated with a dozen trees, and holly and mistletoe hung from the ceiling.  
  
"Notice, Zabini, that the enchanted snow here is both warm and dry," Artemis pointedly told Blaise, who just snickered.  
  
Dumbledore led the Hall in a few carols, which a few of the Slytherins actually joined in singing.  
  
"At least I know you're not starving here," Butler said to Artemis as they passed around ham, roast beef, and Christmas pudding.  
  
"Marie told me Eva's going to try to corner you under the mistletoe," Blaise whispered.  
  
Artemis looked pained.  
  
"Look at what Potter's wearing." Draco pointed. They all dutifully looked.  
  
"Hand-knitted jumper, new," Chevalier observed. "Exactly the same as all the Weasleys are wearing, each one a different color."  
  
"Pretty stupid, if you ask me."  
  
"We didn't ask, Malfoy," Zabini sneered.  
  
"But it is a bit much," Eva agreed.  
  
Galileo Bole was sitting next to his sister for Christmas. He had spent most of the feast sneaking glances at Butler, who Goyle and Crabbe had told him about. He seemed impressed.  
  
"Go ahead and ask him about the troll," Artemis said now. "I know you want to know."  
  
So Butler told the tale of how he had taken down the troll, leaving out mention of Holly. Every Slytherin goon and goon-wannabe at the table listened breathlessly.  
  
___________ ___________  
  
Artemis had learned of an old treatise written by Prof. Dumbledore on Theoretical and Practical Alchemy. He had spared no expense in discovering the location of the original manuscript and sending Butler to gain it for him. It had arrived a week ago, and Artemis had been reading it ever since.  
  
The day before holidays started, Fowl's group and Malfoy's faction had been sitting at opposite ends of a long table in the common room--the cold had chased them away from their spots by the lake. Instead of sending owls, they were passing notes tied to the tail of a rat that belonged to the lone First Year sitting at the middle of the table.  
  
Eva Bole had just received a note from Parkinson saying, "The answer to #9 is sassafrass weed, not sassparilla weed. By the way, are you going to make a move on Fowl, or what?" which she'd hastily crumpled up before anyone could read it.  
  
Then Malfoy sent a message to Zabini that read, "It's so sweet to see you and Chevalier making kissy faces. Of course, you look like a dork, but that just makes it more amusing." And Zabini sent one back, "Shut up, Malfoy. Your dark roots are showing, by the way."  
  
Which prompted Draco to lunge across the table at him, yelling, "I do *not* dye my hair!"  
  
Artemis was reading the treatise and largely ignoring all this, when he suddenly drew in his breath in a startled sort of gasp, then let it back out again.  
  
"What? What is it?" Eva asked.  
  
He looked up from the paper, eyes exceedingly bright. If he had been anyone else he would have been dancing about, waving his arms and shouting "Eureka!" But as he was Artemis Fowl, he contented himself with the hint of a smirk. "What's what?"  
  
"Why did you gasp like that?"  
  
"It occurred to me how glad I am that I'm a wizard."  
  
"And?" Marie prompted.  
  
A more definite smirk. "How nice it is to be a genius."  
  
"Ah. And what have you discovered that no one else knows?"  
  
Artemis realized then how tricky it was to have friends. They knew certain things about you that could give you away. Fortunately, Artemis was clever, careful, and a wonderful liar.  
  
Thus began his "newly discovered fascination with languages."  
  
The line in Dumbledore's treatise had read, "I have heard of a legend which I can scarcely credit, regarding fairies and leprechauns and any number of tales considered outlandish, even by the wizarding world. It boils down to this: a long time ago, about 700 AD, a very powerful wizard discovered the secret of alchemy and passed it on to his best apprentice. The secret was guarded as dearer than life. Eventually it came to the attention of Rowena Ravenclaw and her brother, Roderick. Not much is ever mentioned about this brother, who was apparently an architect as well as an alchemist. He had no heirs or students, and no one he cared about, except Rowena, and possibly Salazar Slytherin. When he was about to die, he had the formula written down in a secret language, but not on parchment. He had it carved onto walls, floors, and ceilings of various important wizarding structures, scattered in bits and pieces like a riddle. I came across what is supposed to be one of these partial messages in a witch's pyramid in Egypt, but I have been unable to make any sense in translating it. I shall give up this theory and explore other avenues to the secret of turning substances into gold."  
  
What made Artemis gasp that day was his instant recognition of the language; it was Gnommish. And it said "=gold. Next site: St. Mungo's Hospital for wizards."  
  
_________ __________  
  
The mid-point of Christmas holidays, Artemis and Butler walked to Hogsmeade, then took the Knight's Bus to St. Mungo's Hospital. It was a large, run-down red brick department store called Purge and Dowse Ltd. Signs announced that it was Closed For Refurbishment.  
  
"Rather shabby-looking," Artemis remarked.  
  
They stopped in front of a window where an ugly mannequin wearing an even uglier dress was on display. Artemis leaned closer to the glass and murmured, "We're here to visit a patient."  
  
The dummy nodded and beckoned. Artemis put his hand on Butler's shoulder and the two walked through the glass and re-appeared in a crowded reception room. Rows of witches and wizards sat on rickety wooden chairs, some seeming normal, others clearly having strange magical injuries or illnesses. Artemis walked to stand in front of the floor guide.  
  
"Where to, Master Artemis?" Butler asked, looking around with a great deal of suspicion, keeping his hand near a cache of severely lethal weapons concealed upon his person.  
  
"It'll be Spell Damage, I think, 4th floor." He indicated the doors leading to the stairway, and they started up.  
  
Artemis stopped at the door leading onto the 4th floor, peering through the window before he opened the door. The corridor was clear as they entered. A few Christmas decorations were tacked on the walls.  
  
At the far end of the hall was a window, and at the top of the window sill was an elaborate wooden carving of leaves and Celtic knots and the Healer's symbol. Artemis's eyes turned to it immediately.  
  
A Healer stepped out of a door, carrying several bottles in her arms, and looked at them. "Can I help you?" she asked.  
  
"Divert her attention away from me," Artemis whispered, and continued to the window as Butler walked toward her.  
  
Artemis pulled out a small notebook and looked up at the carving. As he had deduced from the message in Dumbledore's treatise, the Gnommish words were there, the next part of the alchemical formula. He copied the symbols down in his notebook. "For lead," it read, "next site, Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley."  
  
__________ __________  
  
Artemis had not visited Gringotts Bank yet. He had conducted his transfer of pounds to Galleons via a Squib intermediary and had obtained enough then that he had not needed to make another withdrawl. But now he and Butler entered the tall, white building, past two bowing goblins, through silver doors. They entered a vast marble hall. More than 100 goblins sat on high stools behind a long counter, hard at work, looking very self-important and busy. Some were scribbling in large ledgers, or weighing coins in brass scales, or examining precious jewels through eyeglasses. Numerous doors led off the hall, and goblins were showing people in and out of these. For a moment, they just stared.  
  
'Very well then,' thought Artemis, 'time to impress the bankers.'  
  
He put upon the arrogance of a wealthy, powerful man like a pair of soft, skin tight, elegant gloves, displayed for maximum effect. This was not a man one said no to.  
  
Then he strode to a goblin at the counter, who was counting money, Butler carefully trailing along one pace behind and slightly to the right. His placement, his bulk, his eyes scanning everywhere, proclaimed him the bodyguard of a rich, influential man.  
  
The goblin looked up and paid attention. But he was puzzled, for the rich man was, in fact, a 12-year-old boy.  
  
"I want a vault," Artemis said.  
  
"You wish to ensure the safety of your valuables?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"The cost of a vault. . ."  
  
"Is inconsequential. I want a vault."  
  
"Your name, then, sir?"  
  
"Artemis Fowl, the Second."  
  
The goblin paused. "Fowl, did you say, sir?"  
  
"Indeed."  
  
The goblin pulled out a huge dusty, black ledger from underneath the counter. He quickly turned pages. "You would be the only currently living descendant of Lord Hugo de Fole?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why then, you already have a vault, sir," the goblin beamed, warming to the boy considerably. "Always a pleasure to encounter a new de Fole."  
  
____________ ____________  
  
The cart ride was something of a shock to Artemis, but Butler appeared to have thoroughly enjoyed it. Artemis's vault lay deep beneath the bank, in one of the older sections of tunnels.  
  
The goblin, Griphook, gave Artemis a key to keep, and unlocked the door using a combination of key and secret lock, which apparently only goblins could use. Artemis watched it all closely.  
  
Inside the vault was a large stack of Galleons, some silver, and a chest of nothing but jewels, mostly diamonds. There was also a pedestal with a small box on it; inside the box was a ring with the de Fole crest.  
  
Artemis walked to it and picked it up. It felt cold and heavy in his hand. He tried it on his right index finger, but it was a little too small, but when he slipped it on his left index finger, it fit fine. He left it on.  
  
"Yes," he said, his voice a little weaker than he would have liked. "This vault will suit my needs adequately."  
  
"Wonderful," the goblin proclaimed.  
  
"Yes. Now that we're in the older section of the bank, however, I admit to being curious. Do the Hogwarts Founders have vaults here?"  
  
"That they do, young sir," the goblin told him proudly. "Some of the first vaults in use, in fact."  
  
"I've been thinking about them lately. I go to Hogwarts, you know, and we just had that whole Heir of Slytherin scare. . ."  
  
"Indeed, indeed. None of those vaults are in use anymore. None of their Heirs are actually around to use them."  
  
"Which vault is Slytherin's?"  
  
"Number 19! Gryffindor's is right next to it, number 18. Hufflepuff is even earlier than that, 13, and Ravenclaw is near them, too, 24."  
  
"Could I see them? Or is that a breach of protocol?"  
  
"Naturally, you couldn't see the insides. . ."  
  
"No, no, just the outsides. In fact, Ravenclaw's should be enough."  
  
"I'm not sure, sir, it might be considered a security breach. . ." The goblin hesitated, looked at Artemis's expression, debated calling backup, looked at Butler, debated trying to magic him before the large human could react. . . his smile looked a bit sickly. "On second thought, why not? It's a short cart ride away!"  
  
Gnommish symbols were etched above Ravenclaw's door. "Is that a message?" Artemis asked, pretending ignorance as he scrutinized them down to the last detail.  
  
"Oh, just designs," the goblin laughed shakily. "I'd better get you back now!"  
  
"Certainly. Thank you for indulging me. I just wanted to see a little piece of Hogwarts history."  
  
The goblin gave another shaky laugh. "Yes, right. Let's not mention this little side-trip, though, OK?"  
  
___________ __________  
  
After they left the bank, Artemis copied the letters down in his notebook. His expression contained a level of irony, Butler thought, but he refrained from any questions until they were heading back to Hogwarts on the Knight's Bus.  
  
"Where is the next location, Artemis?"  
  
"Somewhere I had been expecting from the very beginning," Artemis replied. "In the Secret Chamber of Salazar Slytherin."  
  
Artemis lapsed into reflection. 'So. A personal visit would be necessary after all.' He had hoped he would not have to take that risk, but his foreboding had proved well-founded. Artemis mentally shrugged. He would do what must be done. Gold was worth it.  
  
Aurum Est Potestas, after all.  
  
_____________ __________ 


	15. 15 The Diary

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Research on Tom was proving to be difficult. Artemis sighed and gave it up for the evening. The holidays had ended two days ago and the professors were all assigning tons of homework that he needed to get started on.  
  
Someone sat across from him and he looked up. It was the Weasley girl and her Prefect brother. "You don't mind if we sit here?" she asked. "Everywhere's full."  
  
He glanced around; this seemed to be the case. "It's fine."  
  
Ginny smiled. Percy ignored him. "You're still looking tired," Artemis murmured.  
  
Ginny fidgeted. "I'm OK."  
  
Artemis didn't think this was really the case, but didn't press the issue. He took out his Care of Magical Creatures homework and his gift from Hermione-"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."  
  
Ginny stared at it. "Can I see?"  
  
He nodded and she flipped through the book and read a particular entry. Then she frowned and gave it back.  
  
"Looking for something in particular?"  
  
She flushed. "Yes, um, bowtruckles. We're studying them in Care of Magical Creatures."  
  
"I've been reading it for clues on what's been attacking people."  
  
Ginny paled and shifted in her chair.  
  
Percy looked over, glared at Artemis, then spoke to Ginny. "Why are you consorting with a Slytherin?"  
  
"I'm nor consorting, I'm talking."  
  
"Ginny. . ."  
  
"So he's a Slytherin! He's OK!"  
  
One corner of Artemis's mouth turned up. "I like to think so."  
  
"You don't know that for sure."  
  
"Well, Hermione likes him."  
  
"You should be concentrating on your studies."  
  
"It's all right, *Percy,*" Artemis said in a voice smooth and taunting. "We'll just meet when you're not around. Alone together. Someplace secluded. Darkly lit. . ."  
  
Percy appeared decidedly alarmed. "That's my little sister you're talking about!"  
  
Ginny grabbed her bag and ran out of the library.  
  
Artemis blinked. The girl was big on hasty exits, apparently. He sighed.  
  
"She's too sensitive," he muttered as Percy gathered up his things to go after her. "Tell her I didn't mean to upset her, OK?"  
  
"Just stay away from her!" Weasley threw him one last glare and strode away.  
  
___________ ___________  
  
Two hours later he got an urgent note from Granger. "Meet us outside the Great Hall ASAP. We just found Tom Riddle's diary!"  
  
Artemis was down the hall, up the stairs and holding the diary in his hand in less than two minutes. It was small, thin, and soaked.  
  
"Where did you find it?" he asked, holding it away from his body.  
  
"In Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Moaning Myrtle--she's the ghost that haunts the girls' bathroom right down that corridor," Granger explained. "I was walking past it when I saw the whole hall in front had been flooded, so I went in to see what she was up to. She's usually pretty depressed. She was upset this time because someone had thrown a book through her head. That book."  
  
It had a shabby black cover and the name T.M. Riddle written in smudged ink on the first page. The date on the cover was 50 years ago. It had been bought in London, according to the store name printed on the back. Other than that, it was blank.  
  
"Of course I checked it for invisible ink," Granger continued. "And I used the Revealer on it I just got. But nothing."  
  
"I don't think there's anything to find," stated Weasley. "He never bothered to write in it."  
  
"Why should it happen to turn up now?"  
  
"I think the Heir's been using it. If we could figure out how it works, it probably tells us everything--where the Chamber is, how to open it, what creature lives in it--everything. The Heir wouldn't want anyone else to find it, so he flushed it!"  
  
"This was in the toilet?" Artemis's face wrinkled.  
  
"Relax, Hermione cleaned it."  
  
"Anyway, he didn't flush it," Artemis said.  
  
"Yes, he did, Myrtle said she was in the U-bend and it fell through her head, but it washed on the floor when she flooded the. . ."  
  
"No, *she* flushed it. It's a *girls'* bathroom."  
  
"Harry and Ron have been in it."  
  
They blushed and looked up at the ceiling.  
  
"It's just a good place for privacy. It's been out of order for years because of Myrtle, no one ever goes in there."  
  
"Except you, and them, and the attacker."  
  
"So it could have been anyone."  
  
"We only went in that once because you dragged us!" Ron defended them.  
  
"It could have been anyone, I agree," Artemis said, ignoring him. "But the probability is high that it's a girl, because the fact is, males very rarely voluntarily frequent women's bathrooms."  
  
"Thomas Riddle isn't a girl."  
  
"No. I don't think that Tom Riddle himself has been running around Hogwarts, unless he really is disguised as a professor. But the professors are all either too young or too old unless he's using a particularly complicated spell. In which case, he could as easily have spelled himself a disguise as a woman, which explains everything. But I doubt Riddle is here teaching. He'd give himself away too easily."  
  
"How?" Potter asked.  
  
"His actions. You can look in the eye of every professor here and know how they stand for or against Muggles."  
  
"Can you?" Weasley frowned.  
  
"Yes," answered Artemis and Hermione both.  
  
"Then why are we investigating Tom Riddle?" Weasley sounded confused.  
  
"It's the only real lead we have. Plus, I think he knew what was going on. I think he was the Heir then, if not now."  
  
"We're looking for any clue we can find," Granger said, patting Ron's shoulder.  
  
"Incidentally, what are the First Years studying in Care of Magical Creatures class right now?"  
  
They looked at him in confusion. "Um, jabberknolls, I think."  
  
"Hm."  
  
"But what about the diary?"  
  
Artemis cast a spell to dry it off, then opened it to a page at random. He ran his finger over it, thinking. "What did the M stand for?" he asked idly.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Tom M. Riddle. What's his middle name?"  
  
"Did it say in the yearbook?"  
  
"No, but it should give his full name in the list of Hogwarts Special Service Awards in. . ."  
  
"I remember that book. I'll look it up," Granger volunteered.  
  
"Leave the diary with me for awhile."  
  
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Weasley protested immediately. "You're still Slytherin."  
  
"I could bring you down to the dungeons while I experiment on it, but you'd get lynched, Gryff," Artemis sneered.  
  
A tense silence ensued. Finally Potter broke it. "I've got an invisibility cloak."  
  
Did he? Wasn't that interesting! But not for the issue at hand. "I'm not letting somebody invisible stare at me. Just give me the bloody book for a bit."  
  
"Oh, let him," Granger burst out. "He's a genius; he may come up with something."  
  
Artemis smiled without meaning to as Weasley spluttered and Potter's eyes went wide. "Thanks, Granger. I'll let you know what I find."  
  
__________ __________  
  
When the Second Year dorm was finally deserted, Artemis took out his fairy technology and applied it to the diary. He had found his fairy computer especially to be indispensable. He'd scanned in all the books he'd checked out from the Restricted Section and downloaded them to its hard drive before returning them. He'd run various programs on different spells, words, and symbols, trying to come up with possible alchemical formulas. Now he looked up spells for un-enchanting a diary, and looked at it through various filters from a LEP Recon helmet. But after everything he tried, the diary still seemed blank and uninformative.  
  
He put the equipment away and sat down on the bed, looking the book over once again. He tried saying various passwords, like Salazar Slytherin, purebloods, Chamber of Secrets. Eventually he took the diary and a needle- sharp pen nub and went looking for Malfoy.  
  
Draco, Pansy, and Zabini were in the Common Room, trying to transfigure a salt shaker into a lampshade, with unsuccessful results. Artemis walked up to them, book held open in one hand.  
  
"Where have you been all day?" Blaise asked petulantly. He'd been feeling ignored lately.  
  
"Studying," Artemis answered, sticking Malfoy hard in the back of the hand with the pen.  
  
Draco swore loudly. "What did you do that for?"  
  
"What? Oh dear, you're bleeding." He grabbed Malfoy's wrist and held his hand over the book, letting blood drip on a blank page.  
  
The page soaked it up with no trace. Then a sentence appeared on the page. "Ink would have sufficed."  
  
Artemis's eyebrows rose.  
  
Draco looked down at the diary. Then he spoke quietly, with a dangerous edge in his voice. "Are you spattering my blood into an enchanted book to see if words will appear?"  
  
"Yes," Artemis admitted, and Zabini laughed.  
  
"Why?" Draco demanded through gritted teeth.  
  
"You didn't think I'd use my own, did you?"  
  
The book and Artemis both went flying as Draco plowed into him, and started punching him in the face. Zabini needed Pansy's help to pull him off.  
  
"You shouldn't mess around with enchanted books like that," Parkinson told him seriously. "You could have endangered Draco's soul with that little stunt."  
  
Zabini smirked. "He doesn't have one, remember?"  
  
Draco's "Rictusempra!" hit Zabini in the stomach.  
  
Artemis wiped away blood of his own from his lip. Then he sighed, opened the book to the first page, and pulled at Malfoy's sleeve as he was readying his second hex.  
  
Draco's eyes involuntarily went to where Artemis was pointing. "Diary of T.M. Rid. . ." His eyes widened and he lowered his wand. "Where'd you get that?"  
  
"Apparently, Moaning Myrtle."  
  
"What all have you tried?"  
  
"About everything except writing in it."  
  
Draco went and sat down at the table and Artemis sat down next to him. Zabini and Pansy exchanged incredulous looks. "What do we write?" Draco asked.  
  
Artemis picked up a quill lying on the table and turned to the first page. "Tell us about the Chamber of Secrets."  
  
The words faded away and were replaced by others. "Who are you?"  
  
Artemis hesitated, then wrote, "Neville Longbottom. I'm Slytherin."  
  
"Hello, Neville. My name is Tom Riddle. I'm Slytherin, too. How did you come by my diary?"  
  
"Truth?" Artemis asked aloud, looking at Malfoy. Draco thought, then nodded.  
  
"Someone tried to flush you."  
  
"Lucky that my memories are recorded in a more lasting way than ink. I always knew there would be those who would not want this diary read."  
  
Draco had picked up a quill, as well. Now he wrote, "Everybody's a critic," and smirked.  
  
Artemis rolled his eyes.  
  
The diary responded with, "Your handwriting is different. Who are you?"  
  
"Neville's friend, Harry Potter."  
  
"You're Slytherin?" the diary asked.  
  
Draco curled his lip. Potter, in his House? "Not me, I'm Gryffindor."  
  
"Well, we can't all be Slytherin," Tom replied.  
  
"Tell me about the Chamber," Artemis repeated.  
  
"The Chamber. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my Fifth Year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the Headmaster, Prof. Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned."  
  
Artemis and Draco looked at each other. Slowly, Artemis wrote, "What was the name of the girl who died?"  
  
"Mattison. I don't remember her first name."  
  
"You told them Hagrid opened the Chamber," Draco penned.  
  
"Have you heard the story then?"  
  
"Yes, but it wasn't him. It was you, wasn't it?"  
  
Artemis stared hard at the page after he'd written this, willing for the answer to reveal something.  
  
"I don't understand." The words appeared slowly. "Why do you suspect me?"  
  
Draco pulled the diary a bit closer. "Hagrid, able to open a secret chamber? A half-giant the Heir of Salazar Slytherin? Bloody unlikely! No, it had to be someone more intelligent, more cunning than that."  
  
"I'm just a poor, orphaned half-blood myself."  
  
"I've traced the Nineveres (your mother's ancestors) back to Jebediah LeStrange and Augustus Hellmer, and I know the Hellmers are connected to the Cains, and the Cains inter-married with Theodore Maximus at some point, and he was the descendant of Rosebud Root, purportedly a mistress of Salazar Slytherin's grandson."  
  
Draco stared at Artemis. "When were you planning on sharing this with me?"  
  
The diary remained silent.  
  
"Now look what you've done," Draco scolded, and wrote, "Neville gets carried away sometimes. Don't worry about it. Look, I think it's great that you've risen above your bloody awful Muggle father. So you want to kill Muggles! No great difficulty in understanding why. I can't blame you, really. And your wizarding blood, being so pure. . . not surprising you feel angry that it was so mixed with dirty Muggle blood. From one who promptly went and abandoned you. Worthless excuse for a father."  
  
There was another long pause, then, "You're not really Harry Potter, are you?"  
  
Draco answered quickly, "No, *he's* Potter and I'm Longbottom. Sorry. We were just playing around."  
  
"You seem to have done a lot of research about me."  
  
"You dated my grandmother," Draco wrote. "She has fond memories of you."  
  
Another long pause. "The Chamber's been opened in your time, hasn't it?"  
  
"Yes. And we want to know where, and how, and who, and what lies within. We want, in fact, to get involved. What can you tell us?"  
  
But the diary said no more that day.  
  
____________ _____________  
  
"What was all that about, Draco?" Pansy cornered him on the side of the room by the fireplace.  
  
"I wanted to check out Fowl's enchanted diary." He gave her an endearing, charming smile.  
  
She ignored it. "You two are in on something together. I thought you hated each other."  
  
"We do! Trust me. This is just, um, a side incident, entirely un- noteworthy. We're working together to mutually gain something we want--the fact that it's Fowl is beside the point, in this case."  
  
"You like him more than you let on, don't you?"  
  
Draco threw his hands in the air. "No! I don't!"  
  
On the far side of the room, Blaise had cornered Artemis. "So you've been ignoring me the last few weeks in favor of a charmed diary and Malfoy."  
  
"Not at all. I just found the diary today. Malfoy hounded in on it because of his normal arrogance and superiority complex that can't bear to be left out of anything. Don't worry, we still loathe each other."  
  
"No, you were working together too well, you both knew too much about that book. You've been keeping secrets from me that he's in on!"  
  
Artemis sighed. "He's in on a small secret because I needed him to ask his father some information. Then he latched onto it and started demanding to know more. It's not my fault."  
  
"So what is this secret, huh?"  
  
"We've just been doing some research on the Heir of Slytherin, that's all. We both want to know who it is."  
  
Zabini blinked. "That's boring. Why keep that secret?"  
  
Artemis rubbed his temples. "Because I didn't want anyone to know I was working with Malfoy! It would be--degrading. A Fowl, asking a Malfoy for anything? Unthinkable!"  
  
Zabini was beginning to look amused. "Indeed. Perish the thought."  
  
"Anyway, now that you know, you can spend some time with me in the library, there must be a dozen books we haven't gone through yet. . ."  
  
"That's OK," Zabini interrupted. "Thanks, but no thanks. I leave you and Malfoy to enjoy each other's company."  
  
"That's a disgusting idea, too."  
  
"Never mind, I promise not to breathe a word of your cooperation."  
  
"Or the diary." Artemis looked at Zabini warningly. "You can't mention that to anyone."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Good! So then--want to play Wizard's Scrabble?"  
  
"You always win at that! How about Wizard's Clue?"  
  
"Dumbledore did it in the dungeons with the Exploding Hex! All right."  
  
Chevalier and Bole walked in at that point, along with Leo Bole and his girlfriend Cassandra. "Can we play, too? We're bored!"  
  
"I love Wizard's Clue," Leo told them happily as they all sat down. "It's so much fun to watch the little 3-D wizards and witches cast their little curses and beat each other with Bludgers and stuff."  
  
Eva stepped on his foot under the table. "Yes. The imitation blood you added in last time was a bit much for me, though."  
  
And by the fireplace, "For the last time, Parkinson, I am entirely straight!"  
  
"But a secret affair between long-time rivals is so romantic. . ."  
  
"Romantic? Begone--I cast you out of Slytherin!"  
  
"Are you sure you won't reconsider? I'm sure you could win him over. . ."  
  
"Argh!" Draco threw his hands up again and stalked to his room.  
  
Pansy sighed.  
  
______________ _____________  
  
A/N: Couldn't resist that last part. . . it was too much fun to write. 


	16. 16

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Two days later, the diary still wasn't talking, and the Gryffindors were insisting they wanted it back. Artemis admitted to himself that he was feeling frustrated.  
  
After his last class, he went back to his dorm, sat on the floor with his back propped against the bed, and stared at the diary.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle wandered in a few minutes later. "What are you doing?" they asked him.  
  
He looked up at them with a strange gleam in his eyes. "What do you guys do when you want to make somebody talk and he won't?"  
  
"Threaten him," Goyle answered at once.  
  
Crabbe nodded. "And if he still won't talk, beat his face in until he does."  
  
"Yes," Artemis said. "Indeed."  
  
"Fowl, you've got a weird look. It's kind of scary."  
  
"Hmm? Oh, not to worry, not to worry." He got out ink, uncapped it, got out quill, dipped it in ink. He opened the book on his lap, disguised his handwriting--which Riddle thought was Potter's. And he wrote, "Riddle, we've been very polite and patient. Neville appealed to you as a fellow Slytherin and son of a girl you once dated. Potter has appealed to your compassion to save other people's lives, even if they are Muggles. Now they've turned you over to me."  
  
He waited a moment. "Who are you?" finally appeared.  
  
"My name is Artemis Fowl the Second and your choice is this: tell me about the Chamber and its secrets or this diary burns."  
  
"No!" came the immediate reply. "I'm alive in here!"  
  
"That's strange, you look like a book to me. Inanimate. Dead. Meanwhile, there are a few very much alive people out here who I don't want to see killed by some fanged beast!"  
  
"The beast was Hagrid's spider! I can show you if you'd like!"  
  
"No way. I don't trust you."  
  
A pause. "Why do you think the beast was fanged?"  
  
It's a snake, Artemis realized, like the flash of a camera going off. Slytherin talked to snakes. Potter heard a voice no one else could hear because he understands Parseltongue and nobody else does.  
  
His fingers tightened on the quill as he wrote, "Because Potter isn't the first Parselmouth to attend Hogwarts in 300 years. You're one."  
  
"How can a snake Petrify anyone?" Riddle argued.  
  
Good question. With poison?  
  
"Is that book writing back to you?" Goyle asked in amazement.  
  
Artemis looked behind him. Leaning across his bed from the other side, Crabbe and Goyle were both trying to read over his shoulder.  
  
"Yes. Go run off to Draco now, OK?"  
  
"Fine," Goyle sighed. "We never know what's going on anymore," he complained to Crabbe as the two left the dorm.  
  
Turning back to the diary, Artemis scrawled out, "You tell me."  
  
"I don't know because I didn't open the Chamber!" Tom replied.  
  
"5 seconds, 4 syllables, 1 spell. Incendio," Artemis wrote, forcing himself to complete calm.  
  
The edges of the pages rustled a bit, as if someone had just walked by and stirred the air. "No burning! I didn't kill Myrtle!"  
  
Myrtle. Moaning Myrtle. The ghost of the girls' bathroom.  
  
Spiders, water, and scorch marks. A cat, a boy, a camera, another boy, a ghost. . .  
  
He reached under his bed and pulled out "Fantastic Creatures," thumbed through it until he found a certain entry, and read it carefully. He tapped the page for a moment, then went and dug through Malfoy's trunk for a book he remembered seeing once. He found it, opened it up, and read about the King of Serpents. Then he smiled.  
  
He picked up the diary and wrote, "You lie as much as any Slytherin, but I don't blame you. As it happens, I know what the creature is. I know why you opened the Chamber. I know everything."  
  
"Good for you. Then quit bothering me." The writing had grown large and dark, as if the writer was annoyed and pressing down hard with his quill.  
  
"If I did that," Artemis retorted, "you wouldn't believe that I'd been serious. I may have further questions, and I want to impress upon you that you should not lie to me."  
  
Whereupon he tore out the endmost page and took up his wand. "Incendio," he said, and the page burst into flames.  
  
"Stop it!" The ink ran down a bit, as if the words wept.  
  
Artemis let the page burn down to ashes, then locked the diary away in his trunk. He had some things to look up in the library.  
  
___________ ___________  
  
Leaving the library, Artemis passed Granger going in. He smiled at her. She looked confused, then suspicious. "Why are you smiling?"  
  
"Maybe I'm just happy to see you," he suggested.  
  
"No, seriously, why are you smiling?"  
  
"Because. . . I am not left-handed."  
  
She blinked. "Princess Bride quote?" He nodded. "Meaning, you know something I don't know?"  
  
"Just find out for me how Moaning Myrtle died."  
  
"All right. I'll ask her. Oh, and Riddle's middle name--it's Marvolo."  
  
___________ ____________  
  
Draco hesitated a moment, then crossed the common room and sat down next to Fowl. Zabini and Bulstrode looked up from where they were quizzing each other on Potions homework. Fowl raised his eyebrows and met Malfoy's gaze.  
  
"Got an owl from my father," he plunged in. "I asked him about the Ministry of Magic--remember, I said I would."  
  
Artemis nodded. They leaned a bit closer and lowered their voices. Blaise and Millicent had stopped working and were frankly eavesdropping.  
  
"They're not watching you right now, because they haven't figured out a way to breach Hogwarts without alerting Dumbledore. But you're still in the back of their minds. Especially with this whole Heir of Slytherin thing. If it did turn out to be you, they won't be surprised." He shifted a bit in his seat. "Father says you're dangerous for one so young and you're sure to cause trouble. I should keep a close eye on you and let him know of any important developments. But he doesn't think you have anything to do with the Chamber."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"He didn't say."  
  
"So, will you be keeping an eye on me?"  
  
Draco smirked at that. "I always keep an eye on you, Fowl. But. . . he doesn't need to know that."  
  
Artemis's eyebrows rose again. Malfoy was actually keeping secrets from his father? Was that some kind of break-through?  
  
"Well. Interesting. Thanks for asking."  
  
Now it was Draco's turn to look shocked. "Did you just thank me?"  
  
"You did say I'm unpredictable."  
  
Draco leaned back in his chair. "True. You're a complicated guy, Fowl. But I'm still better looking."  
  
Millicent snorted. Draco and Artemis turned to look at her and Zabini. "What?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. Draco is very attractive. But. . . well. . . there's just something about Artemis's Irish accent. . ."  
  
Zabini laughed. Artemis winced. Draco looked sour. "Traitor," he said.  
  
__________ ___________  
  
The next few days were busy for Artemis. He earned roughly 10 points per class by answering teachers' questions about lessons. He watched his House soundly defeat Ravenclaw in a Quidditch match. He managed to avoid becoming involved in a food fight at lunch by the narrowest of margins. He discovered House elves.  
  
They came in to clean up the mess at the Slytherin table (the Fifth Years had declared war on the Sixth Years for being overly condescending regarding OWLs and the other years started throwing food at the other Houses so they wouldn't be the only ones covered in shepherd's pie and leek and barley soup).  
  
"What are those?" Artemis whispered to Chevalier, stopping dead on his way to the door.  
  
"House elves. All wealthy wizarding families have them. They do the cooking and cleaning and stuff. They're attached to a family all their lives. They have to obey them. Unless they're freed, by their master giving them clothes. This almost never happens."  
  
"They're basically slaves then." Artemis scrutinized them; they didn't look as if they were suffering and downtrodden, only poorly dressed.  
  
"Yes. . . but they're normally well treated and don't *want* to be freed."  
  
"Are they classified as fairies? Can they do magic?"  
  
"I don't know! They're just house elves. But yes, they do magic. Come on, Artemis. We're going to be late for class."  
  
Did Holly and the LEP Recon forces know about this? Did they consider house elves to be enslaved? Surely not or they would have done something. What did the house elves themselves think? Whose side were they on? Were they loyal to Dumbledore? How many years did they live? Would they know anything about the Chamber?  
  
He resolved to see what he could do about finding answers.  
  
___________ ___________  
  
The next morning, Artemis walked into breakfast with Zabini and then demanded to know who was to blame. The walls were covered with huge flowers of a shocking Pepto-bismal pink. Heart shaped confetti fell from the ceiling. Zabini groaned and pointed at Lockhart, dressed in that same lurid pink. "Happy Valentine's Day!" the professor shouted. The other teachers winced, looking pained and--appropriately enough--rather constipated.  
  
"I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you!" Lockhart continued. "And let me thank the 46 people who have sent me cards so far!"  
  
Zabini snorted. Malfoy leaned across the table and nudged Pansy. "Did you send him one of those big lacy, glittery ones?"  
  
She blushed.  
  
Lockhart clapped his hands and 12 surly dwarfs wearing gold wings entered the Hall. They were carrying harps. Crabbe and Goyle's mouths dropped open. "My friendly card-carrying cupids will be roving around school today delivering your valentines!"  
  
Artemis rolled his eyes. "We should have bribed Snape to take him out in that duel."  
  
"I think we could convince him to do it now," Bulstrode grinned as Lockhart urged the students to ask Snape for love potions.  
  
It was much later, as they were walking to class, that two dwarves, each with a musical Valentine, blocked the corridor. "I'll go first," said one of the dwarves. "No, I will!" argued the other.  
  
"No, I will," repeated the first. "Mine's right there. Oy, you! 'arry Potter!" He elbowed a crowd of people out of the way as students gathered to watch with amusement.  
  
Potter, Artemis noted, was flushed a deep red, and trying to escape, but was prevented when the dwarf grabbed his bag. Potter struggled, and his bag ripped, spilling its contents.  
  
Malfoy pushed his way forward, almost stepping on Ginny Weasley in order to insult Potter. Harry stuffed everything back in his bag as the dwarf began to sing, "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as a blackboard. I wish he was mine, he's really divine, the hero who conquered the Dark Lord."  
  
The audience burst into laughter. The other dwarf cleared its throat. "Right. My turn. Artemis Fowl!"  
  
Artemis suddenly understood why Potter had attempted to run. He felt Malfoy's smirking eyes turn on him and debated whether hexing the dwarf would get him expelled, and if so, why not hex Malfoy as well? Oh, if only Butler were here to squash the troubadour before it came to this!  
  
Finally he sighed and nodded. "Get it over with."  
  
The dwarf strummed his harp and sang, "If your brain were as big as your ego, you'd be the smartest one here. If girls liked you as much as you liked yourself, you'd get valentines all year. Alas, it's not so! It's time that you know! You're only a second-rate boy. For never can a Fowl compare to the wonderful Malfoy!"  
  
Even Zabini laughed, and Draco positively gloated.  
  
Artemis simply looked at him. "You *will* pay, you know. How about I transfigure your racing broom into a boa constrictor?"  
  
"Then Potter can set it on you," added Zabini.  
  
Artemis looked at Blaise. "I don't need Potter's help in getting revenge."  
  
Zabini took a step backward. Malfoy remained undaunted. "Just can't stand admitting anybody else's cleverness, can you, Fowl?"  
  
"Not at all. If I see anybody around here being clever, I'll be sure to mention it."  
  
"Break it up now, come on, break it up," came the voice of Percy Weasley, causing the other students to finally remember they had classes and start moving on.  
  
Draco crossed his arms, feeling put out. He spotted Ron, Ginny, and Potter, who had stopped to watch the show-down. "I don't think Potter liked your valentine," he called to Ginny. "Fowl didn't seem to appreciate my hard work, either. I'm disappointed in them both. After all, what gives a boy who has just had his eyes described as fresh pickled toads the right to complain?"  
  
Ginny hid her face and ran into her classroom. Ron scowled at Draco, who shrugged. "Everybody's a critic."  
  
Artemis never cracked a smile, but his eyes suddenly seemed amused. "I'm staying in my room for the next major holiday, how about you?" he said to Potter, then nodded to Zabini. "Let's go."  
  
He started down the hall. Draco, smirking, turned to his own cadre. "Don't worry. I paid well to make sure none of us will get any singing valentines. Let's go."  
  
____________ ____________  
  
A/N: Does the UK have the product Pepto-bismal? If it needs explained, it's this nasty pink syrup that's used to cure constipation. Disclaimer: I don't own it.  
  
Artemis did not choose to watch the movie, The Princess Bride. Juliet was watching it, and he happened to be in the same room. He is referring to a scene where 2 of the main characters are fighting a duel by sword. Each is using his left-hand, and assumes the other is left-handed. In fact, they are fighting with their non-dominant hand because they are such good swordsmen, they don't want the duel to be over too quickly. Wesley starts to win, and Inigo begins to smile. Wesley asks, "Why are you smiling?" as Inigo is losing. Inigo replies, "Because I know something you don't know. I am not left-handed." He switches hands and starts to beat Wesley. Wesley smiles in turn and says, "I am not left-handed, either." He switches hands and ultimately wins. Disclaimer: I don't own the movie or the characters, but it's wonderful, go watch it! 


	17. 17

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Granger pulled Artemis aside just before supper. "Myrtle said she'd gone into the bathroom to cry because someone was making fun of her. She heard a guy's voice, speaking in another language, so she came out of her stall to see why. And when she opened the door, she died. She just remembers seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes. Then her body seized up and she was dead."  
  
"Good," Artemis murmured. "What do you know about house elves?"  
  
"They're treated shamefully! It's a disgrace! They have to work all the time--no holidays or sick leave. They don't get paid. They're slaves!"  
  
"But they can do magic."  
  
"Yes--they're not allowed to use wands, though."  
  
"Why don't they revolt?"  
  
"They're bound to their masters. Why, they even punish themselves if they're disloyal! Harry said Dobby hits his head against dressers and stuff. . ."  
  
"Wait, who's Dobby?"  
  
"Oh! Um. . ." Hermione looked guilty, and suddenly became very interested in staring at the wall.  
  
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "Granger, what are you not telling me?"  
  
She looked at him then and smiled. "I'm not left handed, either."  
  
"Do I have to trick Weasley into telling me, then?"  
  
She glared at him, then sighed. "I really shouldn't tell you, but. . . well. . . just before school started, a house elf named Dobby showed up in Harry's house and told him he shouldn't go back to Hogwarts because his life would be in danger there. Harry didn't care, he wanted to come here. So Dobby blocked the way to Platform 9 and 3/4. That's why Harry and Ron flew that car here. And then Dobby set that rogue Bludger on him, to try and get him to leave."  
  
"Is that normal house elf behavior?"  
  
"Not at all! They're not supposed to use magic on humans like that, even ones that aren't their master. But Dobby says Harry is important to the wizarding world."  
  
Artemis ignored that last part. "So they're fairies that do wandless magic but feel compelled to be loyal servants to wealthy families."  
  
"Um, yeah."  
  
Artemis gazed blankly into the distance, pondering. "Granger, you've given me a lot to think about."  
  
"Yes, well, I want to know more about the whole Myrtle thing. What do you suspect? The creature killed her?"  
  
"She was the death 50 years ago, yes."  
  
"But what killed her?"  
  
"Think about it. Whose house elf is he?"  
  
"Um, we don't know. But what. . ."  
  
"I should go."  
  
Granger frowned. "Fine." Artemis walked back into the Great Hall. She sighed again, then hurried her own steps and said in a loud voice as she passed him, "That was a lovely valentine you got, Fowl! I hadn't known Malfoy was so sweet on you!"  
  
Everyone sitting near the door laughed. There was really only one response he could make to that. "Did you hear that, Malfoy?" he called over to the Slytherin table. "Granger thinks you sent me that valentine because you're 'sweet on me.'"  
  
Draco stood up abruptly. Pansy grinned and clapped her hands. "Oh, I knew it! You are romantic, after all!"  
  
"It's just like her to get everything mixed up! I *despise* you, Fowl. Even if you were a girl, I'd despise you!"  
  
Granger continued on toward the Gryffindor table. "I think he protests too much."  
  
Draco lost his head. "What would you know, you arrogant Mu. . ."  
  
But by then Artemis had gotten his wand out and cast that same silencing charm on Draco. He stalked over to stand by him and whisper in his ear, "Malfoy, if you shout out the word Mudblood here, half the hall is going to rise up against you, and Dumbledoew will have you in detention. *Focus,* Malfoy. Is it safe to take the hex off now?"  
  
Draco, scowling furiously, nodded.  
  
"Finite incantatum," Artemis chanted softly.  
  
Draco turned and stared at Artemis. His gray eyes seemed to reflect back Artemis's own face, and for once he had no idea what Malfoy was thinking.  
  
Granger had sat down at her table, and most people had gone back to their food, but quite a few were still watching them.  
  
Pansy chose this moment to squeal, "Fowl was whispering sweet nothings in his ear! The feelings are returned!"  
  
Draco lunged at her and started tickling her unmercifully.  
  
Artemis shrugged, sat down, and started eating.  
  
___________ _____________  
  
"Just imagine it's a snake, Potter. I want to hear you speak Parseltongue."  
  
Potter looked from the bit of rubber hose to Artemis doubtfully. They were in the empty Charms classroom. Artemis had asked Potter to meet him there. "What's this about?"  
  
"I'm researching magical languages. Just humor me."  
  
Potter sighed. "Hello, snake."  
  
"That was English."  
  
Artemis watched as Potter narrowed his eyes in concentration and spoke again. A strange sort of rhythmic hissing emerged from his mouth. Artemis stepped closer, so the recorder hidden in his pocket would be sure to pick up the sound. "Keep talking."  
  
"What do I say?" Harry protested, feeling foolish.  
  
"I have a script for you."  
  
When Artemis was finally satisfied, Potter stretched and looked over at him again. Artemis looked back. "Have you heard that voice again?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Where exactly were you when you heard it? Did it move around?"  
  
"The first time was in the DADA classroom. Then in one of the dungeons. And it was moving upward through the ceiling. Through the walls. To that passageway on the second floor where we found the writing."  
  
"That's it," he murmured, too soft for the other to hear. "Last piece of the puzzle."  
  
"I want the diary," Potter said in a determined sort of voice.  
  
"All right. I'll give it to you in Potions."  
  
___________ __________  
  
Artemis wrapped the diary in brown paper and gave it to Potter at the start of class. This caused some puzzlement.  
  
"Hey, cool, Harry!" Finnigan tried to take it. "You've got wizard porn!"  
  
"Do I look like the kind of person who would read porn?" Potter snapped, blushing.  
  
"Is there a certain type?" Thomas wondered.  
  
"Male chauvinist pigs?" Patil suggested.  
  
"Fowl gave it to him, it can't be porn," Brown said. "Fowl's as frigid as they come."  
  
Parkinson opened her mouth to speak.  
  
"Pansy," Artemis warned, "don't start."  
  
"But it's not true! You and Draco have expressed your love for each other. . ." Her hands were clasped and her eyes were teary.  
  
Artemis put a hand on each of her shoulders. "Pansy, I'm sorry. We're both straight. You're going to have to deal with it."  
  
Bulstrode offered Pansy a handkerchief. She blew her nose.  
  
"You better bloody believe I'm straight," Draco griped.  
  
"So what did he give you then?" Patil asked.  
  
"It's a Muggle book," Artemis announced, frowning. "Happy? Now all of Slytherin knows I read Muggle books."  
  
"There's nothing embarrassing about that," Thomas complained.  
  
Most of the Gryffindors continued to look suspicious--or disappointed.  
  
Millicent wrinkled up her nose. "You read Muggle books?"  
  
"*I've* read Muggle books." Chevalier leaned back in her chair, unconcerned.  
  
"Yeah, we still respect you, Artemis, it's OK," Zabini assured him.  
  
Despite himself, Artemis felt strangely warmed.  
  
Snape strode in then, ending the conversation.  
  
But a little later, Draco leaned over and whispered, "Why'd you give it back to them?"  
  
"I don't need it anymore."  
  
"Then what did you figure out?"  
  
"We can hardly talk here."  
  
"Then tell me after our last class."  
  
___________ __________  
  
But after their last class, Artemis used Crabbe and Goyle as a diversion and ducked away before Malfoy could notice. It wasn't until several hours later that Draco found him in an empty classroom in the dungeons that was no longer used.  
  
"I thought you'd turn up sooner or later," Artemis said.  
  
"You're really annoying me, Fowl."  
  
"I know."  
  
"What *is* that?"  
  
"Draco Malfoy, meet technology." Artemis waved a hand at the equipment he had spread out on a table. "I'm making a dictionary, in case you're interested."  
  
"Yes, your fascination with languages. What does this have to do with the Chamber?"  
  
"Maybe nothing. I thought you wanted to know about the diary."  
  
"Yes. Why'd you give it back?"  
  
"I learned what I wanted from it. They were growing whiny and suspicious so I gave it back to them, so they can lose it." He observed Draco calmly.  
  
This was another of those times when Draco seriously wondered which of them was crazy. "So they can lose it?"  
  
"Yes. After that whole scene in class, Potter's fellow Gryffindors are going to be curious enough to unwrap it. Someone will spread around what he's got. And then someone is going to panic, and steal it back from him."  
  
"Then what? Another attack?"  
  
"Then we track her. Or rather, we set the Trio to track her. I'm going to be busy with--other things."  
  
Draco's eyes narrowed. "What other things?"  
  
"Oh, just an interesting idea I ran across in an old treatise one of our professors wrote. That's what this is for." He indicated the gadgetry again, none of which made any sense to Draco.  
  
"Well, what is that stuff?"  
  
"Computer. Recorder. Speaker. Translator--my own invention."  
  
Draco still had no clue, but was reluctant to admit it.  
  
"Malfoy, are you at all interested in risking your life battling a huge monster in a secret chamber?"  
  
"Obviously not."  
  
"Then you don't really need to know."  
  
Draco scowled at Fowl's superior tone. "Oh, and are *you* prepared to risk your life?"  
  
"No. But I'm prepared to risk someone's else's."  
  
_________ __________  
  
"Dear Butler, the time has come for you to spend a few days visiting Hagrid. Keep yourself available, wait for my signal, and get as much information about taking down a basilisk from Hagrid as you can without making him suspicious. Yes, old friend, my 'scheme' is about to commence. Artemis."  
  
He sent the email before breakfast that day, and by lunchtime, he'd received word that Butler was camped out in Hagrid's hut. After classes, he went to the library, to make himself easily accessible by owl. It was 7:30 when Madam Pince was disturbed by Hedwig flying in and landing on Artemis's table.  
  
"Sorry," Artemis apologized, gathering up his bag. "I'll take her outside."  
  
In the hallway, he gave her a handful of owl treats and read the note. "Meet us in the Owlery at once. Urgent news."  
  
This was it. He took a deep breath and went to meet them.  
  
____________ __________  
  
Draco wasn't stupid. He knew Artemis was close to doing--whatever it was he was up to. He wanted to know what that was. He watched Artemis get up and leave the library with Potter's owl. He stood up from where he'd been sitting cross-legged in the midst of the bookstacks. He stretched his arms over his head--his back muscles were cramping from hunching over to read. He waited long enough to give him a headstart, then he followed Fowl.  
  
____________ ____________  
  
A/N: This chapter was a little shorter, but it was a good place to end it. Next chapter will be full of suspense and action. . . 


	18. 18 The Chamber

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Artemis stood perfectly still in the Owlery, waiting while Potter babbled out the story. "The diary is gone! I'm afraid Seamus pulled it out at lunch, and the whole table, or close to it, saw it. They didn't know what it was, but the thief would have recognized it by sight, I suppose. We came back to the Tower right after supper, and our dorm was a mess. It had obviously been searched. The only thing missing was Riddle's diary."  
  
"It had to have been a Gryffindor," Weasley blurted. "No one else would have known the password."  
  
"Interesting," a voice drawled from the doorway. "How many purebloods are *in* Gryffindor?"  
  
"Get lost, Malfoy, this doesn't concern you!" Potter snapped.  
  
Artemis looked at the three of them speculatively. "How many *female* purebloods are in Gryffindor?"  
  
Silence. Draco raised his eyebrows. Weasley tensed, flushing, and hissed, "What are you suggesting?"  
  
"Where's Granger?" Draco cut in.  
  
"She thought of something she needed to look up in the library," Potter replied neutrally.  
  
Draco gave him an incredulous look. "Somebody took the diary--you wait a good three hours or so to give her time to work up some evil--and then you let your Mudblood run loose?"  
  
Weasley had his wand up, but Harry grabbed his arm. "No, wait, he's right. . ."  
  
Artemis called his owl down from the rafters. He attached a message to Aureus's leg and sent him off to get Butler. Then he pulled what looked like a credit card out of his pocket, but it was not. "I put a tracking charm on the diary," Artemis told the Gryffindor boys. "This is set like a compass, north, south, east, and west. It'll point to whatever direction the book is in. The middle is marked up or down, to see what floor it's on. Use it." He handed it to Potter, who took it and stared at it in some awe.  
  
"Hermione checked the book for spells and didn't find anything," Ron frowned.  
  
"I expected her to check and made it hard to detect."  
  
Draco smiled at that. Then he frowned, and asked, "What about the. . . about Granger?"  
  
"She should be here any minute," Potter said.  
  
Artemis had a bad feeling about this. "Let's just see if she's in the library, shall we?"  
  
They headed down the stairs. "You can go now, Malfoy. I doubt you're concerned about Hermione's welfare." Potter glared at him.  
  
"You're kidding right? I want to see who stole the diary."  
  
"You're not coming with us." Weasley was fingering his wand again.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes. I am. It's the only way justice is assured. If we find out the Heir of Slytherin is Gryffindor, you two weak, sentimental idiots might let her go."  
  
"Wait just a minute. . ."  
  
"He's got a point," Artemis interrupted their heated declarations. "At least, in others' minds. Think of the rumors going around, how other people see things. It might be best to mix the Houses."  
  
Artemis gave him a strange sort of smile, but before he could say anymore, he saw Draco stop dead and go pale. "I--I was actually right. Why aren't I feeling glad?"  
  
They followed his eyes to see what he was staring at. Just off a side passage from the library, they found a very distraught Prof. Spout bending over the still, Petrified form of Hermione Granger.  
  
The Gryffindors covered the last few feet at a run. "No!"  
  
Prof. Sprout looked up, teary-eyed, and motioned them back. The two Slytherins came up beside them. "What's in her hand?"  
  
They all looked. "A mirror," Weasley sounded baffled. "Why. . .?"  
  
Artemis reached over and took the tracking locater out of Potter's hand. He gave it to Draco. "Right then," he began giving orders crisply and authoritatively. "Malfoy, you track the diary. Weasley and Potter won't be good for anything except going to the infirmary with Granger. I will be-- searching for the monster."  
  
"It's too dangerous," Potter protested.  
  
"You will do no such thing!" Prof. Sprout insisted. "You may help me take Hermione to the hospital wing if you wish, but then you're all going straight back to your common rooms!"  
  
"Malfoy's not searching for the diary alone!" They ignored poor Sprout completely.  
  
"Then send the two purebloods together." Artemis looked at each of them in turn, a burning stare. "No offense, Potter, but it is dangerous. You go with Granger. And I'll--just go back to my dorm, like a good student."  
  
Draco caught and held Artemis's gaze. He knew there wasn't the slightest possibility Artemis was returning tamely to the dungeons. Did he know where the Chamber was? Was he going there? He wanted to follow, but he figured the monster was likeliest to be there. What should he do?  
  
"Malfoy," Artemis said, "listen to me just this once."  
  
Draco's chin went up. "I'm a Malfoy, and I don't take orders from you, Fowl. You're a sly, Muggle-tainted, stuck-up, know-it-all, bossy, ugly, territory-stealing, bloody jerk and you'll get what's coming to you someday!"  
  
"Are you through? Don't 'obey' me then. Just--think for yourself and decide what to do!"  
  
Draco's breathing was a bit fast and his knuckles clenching the tracker were rather white, and his heart was thumping in time to a pain in his head. But he told himself, 'Focus,' and 'Don't let him think you blindly obey your father, either,' and making his mind up only took about five seconds. "I'll go after the diary."  
  
Artemis actually smiled out of sheer surprise. "OK then."  
  
Weasley hesitated a long moment, then nodded. "The thief is the Heir, right? The murderer. We have to track--him or her."  
  
Prof. Sprout wrung her hands. "You are all to go back to your common rooms!"  
  
"Of course, ma'am," they chorused, with innocent eyes.  
  
"Except for me," Potter added. "I'm going with you and Hermione."  
  
Prof. Sprout just nodded weakly and levitated Granger.  
  
___________ ________  
  
Butler was waiting for Artemis just outside the Great Hall. "Nice to see you again," Artemis greeted him. "Shall we?"  
  
"I don't like this plan, Artemis," Butler told him one more time. "You'll be in far too much danger."  
  
"Danger is, indeed, a possibility. But I have made certain preparations." He patted his bookbag. "Let's go."  
  
Butler walked beside Artemis, up the staircase, down the deserted corridor, to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Artemis reached in his bag and pulled out two pairs of mirrored sunglasses. He put one set on, and Butler the other. "I've treated these against a basilisk's stare as much as I was able." Butler tried to look reassured. Then Artemis took out a device that resembled a portable audio cassette player--but not quite. Then they entered the bathroom.  
  
They looked around. No monsters, no crazed attackers, no trace of a chamber. No one except the ghost of a young girl, peering at them curiously. "What are you doing here?" she demanded. "This is a *girls'* bathroom!"  
  
"I'm a friend of Granger's," Artemis replied. "Her words did not fully convey how lovely you are, though, Myrtle." He managed to say this with a straight face.  
  
Myrtle giggled and turned her face away as if embarrassed, but she floated closer.  
  
"Myrtle, I need to ask you a question. Granger told me that, unfortunately, you died in this bathroom." She nodded. "You saw a pair of eyes, she said. Where were they exactly?"  
  
"By that sink right there," she pointed.  
  
Artemis and Butler moved over to the sink. Artemis examined it closely. Etched on one of the taps was a tiny snake. Artemis held the device in his hand out in front of it.  
  
"What's that?" Myrtle inquired.  
  
"It's a speaking dictionary. First ever in Parseltongue." He pressed a switch. A strange hissing sound emanated from the device. Immediately, the sink's tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin.  
  
Then the sink sank out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into. "The Chamber of Secrets," Artemis murmured.  
  
"I go first," Butler insisted.  
  
"Take this," Artemis said. He handed Butler a similar, smaller device. "If one of us is in serious trouble, press the button."  
  
Butler nodded, then slid down the pipe and out of sight.  
  
Artemis took a deep breath and followed.  
  
____________ ___________  
  
"We are *not* the only purebloods in Gryffindor," Weasley snapped irritably. "Let's see, um, Susan McCarthy, she's a Fifth Year, and John Pringle, he's Seventh. And Neville Longbottom, of course."  
  
"Yeah, and five Weasleys," Draco retorted. "Odds are it's one of you."  
  
"Who said it had to be a pureblood?"  
  
But Draco was staring thoughtfully ahead. "Hmm, wouldn't it be bizarre if it really was Longbottom?"  
  
"Just keep us going the right direction!"  
  
Draco and Ron were on the third floor now, heading east, following the tracker. They walked quickly, ignoring the stares of two shocked Ravenclaws, and a Hufflepuff who actually walked into a wall at seeing them together. Draco did allow himself a smirk, however.  
  
"We're going in the right direction," he drawled lazily, "naturally. With me as the leader. . ."  
  
"You're not the leader of anything, least of all me," Weasley sneered.  
  
Draco gripped his wand and the locator a bit more tightly. "I am the one with the compass."  
  
"So? Looks like you're working and I'm delegating. I'm the leader."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Just can't stand not being in control, can you, Weasel? You'd think you'd be used to it by now, what with your family and all."  
  
Ron gave him a very nasty glare. "Don't start in on my family again."  
  
"You're as bad as Fowl." Draco smirked wider.  
  
"Fowl's not a bad guy--for a Slytherin."  
  
"Oh, like praise from you is going to make me think better of him?--Hold on. Looks like she just changed direction. North."  
  
"How do we get north from here?"  
  
Draco considered this. "If she starts going down in about two minutes, she just took the back stairs by the old lecture hall."  
  
They walked in silence, keeping an eye on the tracker. Draco's pulse was fluttering at a much faster rate than he was used to, and a strange anticipation had settled into his stomach like a knot. He couldn't decide if he was excited or afraid. He found his mind kept going back and forth between himself and Fowl. What was his fellow Slytherin up to? Was he going to the Chamber? If so, why? Fowl didn't strike him as a "save-the-world" type. He was up to something.  
  
The arrow on the compass moved. "Back stairs," he confirmed.  
  
"Maybe we can catch up with her!"  
  
They put on a burst of speed, nearly knocking over Alicia Spinnett, who stared after them in wonder.  
  
___________ ___________  
  
The pipe went down a long way, twisting and turning. It finally leveled out from its steep downward slope, and Artemis shot out of the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark tunnel. It was built of stone, and large enough to stand in. Butler was already on his feet just beside him, covered in slime. Artemis was just as bad; he looked down at himself in disgust.  
  
"We're under the lake, I think," Artemis said quietly. "Very far under the school--perhaps as much as two miles. Interesting."  
  
The walls were wet and slimy. The tunnel was so dark they could see only a little distance ahead. It was deathly quiet. The floor was littered with small animal bones. "And particularly nasty," he added. He drew out his wand. "Lumos."  
  
The tip of his wand lit up. "Too bad I couldn't have adjusted those glasses to infra-red vision. Oh well. We go forward." Butler only nodded.  
  
Just around a bend in the tunnel, they came across a giant snake skin. Artemis cleared his throat. "Yes, well. About 23 feet long, I'd say."  
  
"Artemis. . ."  
  
"Don't worry, everything's under control," Artemis waved his hand, as if waving Butler's concerns away, albeit a bit weakly.  
  
They kept going. The tunnel turned often, making Artemis constantly wary about what could be around the next bend. Eventually they came to a wall, where two entwined serpents were carved. Their eyes were set with large, glittering emeralds that looked strangely alive.  
  
Artemis held out the recorder and pressed a button. Another word in a strange hissing tongue issued from it. The serpents parted, the walls cracked open and slid out of sight.  
  
They entered a long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars carved with more entwined serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom. At the end of the Chamber was a statue high as the ceiling itself, set against the back wall. The face of the enormous statue was ancient, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two grey feet stood on the smooth floor. Artemis frowned. "Is that Salazar Slytherin?"  
  
"I'm afraid I couldn't say."  
  
"At any rate, that's not the important thing. Look for the words."  
  
"Perhaps keeping an eye out for the basilisk as well would be a good idea."  
  
Artemis half-smiled. "Yes. That, too."  
  
___________ ____________  
  
A/N's: Artemis's computer is run with fairy technology, which is why it works at Hogwarts. His Parseltongue dictionary uses the same technology. The LEP Recons use both technology and magic on a regular basis, and had to come up with a way to use them both together without one disrupting the other. Artemis is intelligent enough to adapt it all to his own purposes. 


	19. 19

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 19  
  
"How can a girl move so fast?" Weasley panted.  
  
"Perhaps she has 11 brothers," Draco suggested.  
  
Ron tensed. "Just shut up, Malfoy."  
  
"Well, when you've got 20 children, it stands to reason they won't all share the same political views. . ."  
  
Weasley grabbed Draco by his robe and dragged him over to stand face- to-face. "I said, shut up, Malfoy."  
  
Draco sneered. "So?"  
  
Weasley let go and drew his wand. Draco's wand moved to point at him at the same moment. "We're wasting time here," Draco spoke evenly. "She's getting away, whoever she is."  
  
Weasley hesitated another long minute.  
  
"Shall I just cast stupefy on you and go on by myself?"  
  
Weasley sighed and lowered his wand. "No." He turned away and continued down the stairs.  
  
Draco debated hexing him anyway, but didn't want to meet up with a basilisk or a deranged murderer alone. He walked on.  
  
______________ ____________  
  
Harry Potter was gazing down at Hermione, lying in a hospital bed. Prof. Sprout was over in a corner talking to Madam Pomfrey, waiting for Dumbledore to arrive.  
  
"It'll be OK, Hermione," he whispered. "The Mandrakes will be ready soon, Sprout told me. We'll have you un-petrified," he swallowed hard, "in no time."  
  
He had to look away from her still face. His eyes fell on her hands. One hand held a mirror. The other was clutching a piece of paper. He drew in a breath and looked at the teachers again. They were paying him no attention. He pulled at the paper. It was clenched so tightly in her fist, he was afraid he would rip it, but he finally managed to get it out.  
  
It was a page torn from a very old library book. Harry read it eagerly. ". . . the basilisk, known as the King of Serpents. . . born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. . . deadly and venomous fangs, murderous stare. . . all who are fixed with the beam of its eye suffer instant death. Spiders flee before it. . . the basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."  
  
Beneath this, Hermione had written, "Pipes."  
It all came together in his mind at once. He bolted from the infirmary.  
  
____________ ______________  
  
"She's on the second floor now. Going straight north. Maybe she's heading for the Great Hall."  
  
They sped down the last few steps and practically ran down the corridor. Few people were around this late. They swerved around three Ravenclaws headed to their dorm from the library. Far in the distance, Draco spotted a glimpse of red hair and his heart sped up.  
  
It really was Ginny Weasley. The Heir of Slytherin was a Weasley.  
  
He looked over at Ron, who didn't seem to have noticed yet.  
  
"Oh, she just changed direction. . ." Up ahead, Weasley had gone into some side room. "Isn't this where Filch's cat got it?"  
  
"Um, yeah."  
  
They raced down the hall. Abruptly, Draco skidded to a halt. "She's. . . in that bathroom. . . and going down now. . ."  
  
"That's Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. That's where we found Riddle's diary."  
  
They looked at each other, then opened the door.  
  
"Hn. So this is the inside of a girl's bathroom."  
  
"Whatever perverted thoughts are in your head, Malfoy, get rid of them."  
  
"I resent that!"  
  
Before he could protest further, Moaning Myrtle floated in front of their faces. "What are you two doing here?"  
  
"Did a girl just come in here and vanish?"  
  
Myrtle asked Ron, "Who's he? He's cute."  
  
Both of the boys' eyes widened, for entirely different reasons. 'I'm being hit on by a ghost!' Draco thought. 'An ugly bathroom ghost at that!' While Ron was thinking, 'Malfoy? Oh, ugh!'  
  
"He's a Malfoy," Weasley managed to say. "He's a Slytherin git."  
  
Draco shoved him, then repeated his question. "A girl?"  
  
Myrtle pouted. "You didn't come to see me?"  
  
"She stole something of ours," Weasley tried to explain. "We're tracking her."  
  
"Fine. Yes. She went under the sink, just like the boy did earlier."  
  
Ron's forehead creased. "Boy?"  
  
Draco's chin tilted up. "Fowl."  
  
"Yes, he said." She giggled. "He was quite charming. Are you friends of his?"  
  
"Oh, great mates, yes. Which sink?"  
  
She pointed it out. Draco strode over to it and held up the tracker. "She's right. Underneath--how?"  
  
____________ _____________  
  
"I thought for sure it would be on the statue," Artemis complained. "Let's check the pillars."  
  
"Someone's coming." Butler suddenly shoved Artemis behind him.  
  
They heard the sound of running footsteps. Butler raised his gun, and Artemis his wand.  
  
The person came into view. Small, young, female, Gryffindor. . .  
  
"It is you," Artemis murmured. "I was half-hoping it wouldn't be, but I knew it was."  
  
She stopped about 2 meters away from them. She was clutching Riddle's diary. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Just a bit of light reading. You?"  
  
She looked scared, sad, a little wild. Her hair was tangled and her robes askew. "I don't know! I think I may be insane!"  
  
"You don't. . ." Artemis realized everything at last. He had assumed the Heir of Slytherin was willing, but that had been a faulty assumption all along. He would have cursed if he'd had less control. "It's the diary. Ginny, give me the diary!"  
  
"No!" she cried. "Tom's the only friend I have!"  
  
"He's not a friend. He's possessing you. Ginny, burn it."  
  
"No!" She hugged the diary possessively against her body. A green light started to glow, and she screamed.  
  
Butler instinctively pulled Artemis behind a pillar and held him there as the light intensified, surrounding Ginny with green sparks, and then pulsing inward in one brilliant burst that filled the Chamber. When they could see again, Ginny was lying on the floor, and a strange boy was standing over her, holding the book.  
  
Artemis stepped out from behind the pillar. "Tom Riddle, I presume?"  
  
__________ __________  
  
Potter came crashing into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, only to stumble to an abrupt halt at seeing Malfoy and Weasley hovering by one of the sinks.  
  
"Oh, it's you," said Myrtle.  
  
Harry ignored her and spoke to Ron. "You're here, too?"  
  
"Yeah, mate. The book's down there, somehow."  
  
"It's in the pipes, Ron! That's how it moves around! Hermione had a piece of paper from a book in her hand. She'd figured it all out. It's a basilisk!"  
  
"But--but they're petrified, not dead."  
  
"Nobody's looked it directly in the eyes. Colin saw it through his camera, Hermione the mirror, I think Justin saw it through Nick, and Mrs. Norris. . . the water on the floor. Remember? And that's why I can hear it and nobody else can--because I understand Parseltongue!"  
  
"So the murderer's down there with the beast?" Ron gulped.  
  
"Fowl's down there," Malfoy said slowly.  
  
"He is the Heir of Slytherin?" Potter frowned.  
  
"No. I'm not sure what he's doing there."  
  
"Well, leave him to it, I say," Weasley grumbled. "Let's go get Dumbledore."  
  
"Weasley. . ." Draco hesitated, then took the plunge. "I saw her. From down the hall. It's your sister, Weasley. Honestly, it is."  
  
"Shut up! You're just trying to mess with my mind!"  
  
"Hey, ghost! Myrtle." Draco smiled at her. "The girl who vanished in here. Was it his sister?"  
  
"I don't know," Myrtle answered. "She's never told me her name. I don't think she likes me. She comes in here all the time and never talks to me."  
  
Ron snorted. "There, you see. . ."  
  
"She does have red hair, though."  
  
Silence. Then, "Is she a Gryffindor?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, yes. She wears Gryffindor robes."  
  
"Still, you're right, we should get a teacher. Come on." Draco half-turned toward the door.  
  
The other two didn't move. "I. . . I can't turn her over without talking to her." Ron's voice shook just a bit.  
  
"You go on down then," Draco suggested. "I'll go get help."  
  
"Hold it, Malfoy. You can't tell a teacher yet, either."  
  
"Fine. Then I'll just go back to my rooms. I found out who the Heir is, that's good enough for me."  
  
"You're pureblooded, Malfoy. What are you so worried about?" Harry sneered at him.  
  
"It's a *basilisk.* It doesn't care."  
  
"I think. . . I think you'd better come with us, Malfoy," Potter decided. "We might actually need your help."  
  
"Are you kidding?" Ron yelped. "Just stupefy him and leave him in a stall til we're done."  
  
"Fowl's down there," Harry reminded them. "We don't know what he's up to. Ron can watch Ginny, I'll watch the basilisk, and Malfoy can take care of Fowl."  
  
"Fine," Weasley nodded. "Are you coming or do we have to take you at wandpoint, Malfoy?"  
  
They would, too, the nasty, insufferable gits. He wouldn't be subject to that indignity. Better to die from a basilisk then lose his pride. Besides. . . if Fowl was down there. . . as much as he hated to say it, Artemis Fowl wasn't going out to a mere serpent. If Fowl was down there, he knew what the monster was and he had a plan. 'So if I just keep next to Fowl, I should be safe.'  
  
"I'm coming," Draco said out-loud. "I suggest our Golden Hero open up the sink."  
  
Potter blinked. "OK. Um, how?"  
  
"There's a snake on the tap. Talk to it."  
  
Ron frowned while Potter examined the sink. "Ginny's not a Parselmouth. How does she open it?"  
  
A strange hissing sound came from Potter's mouth, and the sink opened. They stared down at a long, dark pipe.  
  
Draco motioned to the opening. "Brave Gryffindors first."  
  
__________ __________  
  
Tom Riddle and Artemis Fowl examined each other. He was about 5 years older, Artemis judged, dark, fairly attractive (he supposed, to a girl), but something about the eyes was wrong, something that hinted at bitterness, and cruelty.  
  
"You're not Potter," Riddle observed. "You must be Fowl. The one who burnt part of my book."  
  
"Shame I didn't burn the whole thing, isn't it? How did you manage to-- manifest yourself?"  
  
"Ginny poured out her soul to me. . . the stupid, boring little girl. Her soul was exactly what I wanted. I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets, until I grew more powerful than her, made her do my bidding. She put so much life into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last." He laughed, then grew sober again. "You won't be stopping me, Fowl."  
  
"I'm not particularly heroic, but I confess that I don't want to see any Muggle-borns die."  
  
He laughed again. "That's all right. I have a new goal now. I just want Harry Potter."  
  
"Tom Marvolo Riddle." Artemis nodded. "Yes, I expect you do. Like word puzzles, do you?"  
  
Tom's eyes narrowed as Artemis took a few steps forward. "Don't play games with me. Are you here to stop me or not?"  
  
Artemis smiled. "No, actually." He made a careful circle, then stopped back where he'd started. "I have a little diary of my own, you see." He took a book out of his pocket. "I like to write in it, too." He scribbled something down.  
  
Tom frowned more. He moved forward. "What are you doing?"  
  
Artemis put the book back in his pocket and withdrew his wand. "Getting ready to leave."  
  
"I don't think so. You know too much about me." He held up his hand; he was holding Ginny's wand. "I bet I'm better than you."  
  
Artemis was afraid this was quite likely.  
  
Butler fired.  
  
_________ _________  
  
The three boys hurrying though the tunnel stopped dead. Ron clutched at Harry's arm. "What was that?"  
  
"It--it sounded like a gun."  
  
"A gun?"  
  
"Nasty Muggle thing. Metal. Shoots bullets. If a bullet hits you, you could die."  
  
"Oh, good. I'm leaving now."  
  
"You're in this for the ride now, Malfoy." Harry blocked his path.  
  
"So was Ginny being shot at or doing the shooting?" Draco smirked, ignoring Potter.  
  
Ron blanched, then took off at a run.  
  
"Ron! Malfoy, come on!" Potter ran off after him.  
  
Draco was too curious to leave now, but he wasn't stupid. He proceeded forward slowly and stealthily, hugging the walls.  
  
_________ _________  
  
A/N:  
  
The Cheezhead: You're right, they would use meters. It's 3 feet=1 meter, right? I'm not mathematically inclined.  
  
Jeweljade: Yes, Artemis is searching for the alchemical formula on the walls of the Chamber. Gold is power, you know.  
  
Nallasariel the Weeper: I can't slow down now! But we're not at the end yet, more is going to happen after the whole Chamber thing.  
  
Lunaceress, Anthony1234, Earth Borne, karlin88, flaming, Shi-no-Nezumi, ashes2ashes, JealousAlmonds, and Lyn/Lin: Thanks so much for reviewing! You're all wonderful! 


	20. 20

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 20  
  
"You know too much about me." Riddle held up his hand; he was holding Ginny's wand. "I bet I'm better than you."  
  
Artemis was afraid this was quite likely.  
  
Butler fired.  
  
The bullet went through him. Riddle smiled. "I'm not corporeal yet. Not until *she's* dead." He raised his wand.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Artemis cried.  
  
Unfortunately, Riddle did know how to block curses, unlike Lockhart. "You'll have to be faster than that," he smiled.  
  
They heard the sound of running. First Ron, then Potter appeared in the Chamber. Ron yelled his sister's name and tried to go to her, but Riddle pointed his wand at him threateningly and he skidded to a halt.  
  
"Who are you?" Ron demanded.  
  
"Tom Riddle. You must be one of Ginny's idiot brothers."  
  
Ron's mouth fell open. "You're Riddle? Shouldn't you be a lot older?"  
  
"He's a memory that he had spelled into the diary and he's feeding off your sister's soul until he becomes fully alive again," Artemis told him.  
  
"Well summarized," Riddle congratulated.  
  
Tom turned and looked at Harry. "It's you. Harry Potter."  
  
"Yes." Potter had his wand in his hand.  
  
Butler reached over and firmly pulled Artemis behind the pillar again.  
  
Ron interrupted Riddle's stare-down with Harry. "So was Ginny. . . was she the one attacking everyone?"  
  
"He was possessing her," Artemis said from behind his pillar.  
  
"She's been writing in my diary." Riddle walked forward, coming face-to- face with Potter. "All about you, Harry Potter. She has quite a foolish little crush on you. But she told me your whole fascinating history. I knew I had to meet you. I had a plan for that--but you came down on your own, before I'd finished it. Lucky me."  
  
"What do you want with me?" Potter swallowed hard.  
  
"You're my target, Potter. I have many questions for you."  
  
Harry's fists clenched. "Like what?"  
  
Riddle smiled again, eyes gleaming red and hungry. "How is it that *you* managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did *you* escape with nothing but a scar while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"  
  
"Why do you care how I escaped? Voldemort was after your time."  
  
"Voldemort is my past, present, and future, Potter. . ."  
  
Artemis leaned over and whispered to Butler. "He's going to call the basilisk soon. If shooting becomes necessary, aim for its eyes. Nobody else is protected by sunglasses like we are."  
  
Tom began to trace words in the air with Ginny's wand. They shimmered there: Tom Marvolo Riddle.  
  
"I still don't get it," Ron cut in.  
  
They all turned to look at him.  
  
"He *is* Voldemort, Weasley," Artemis said loudly. "At least, he will be."  
  
They all turned to look at the pillar. "Far too clever." Riddle shrugged. "No matter." He swished the wand again, and the letters rearranged themselves: I am Lord Voldemort.  
  
"It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends. You think I would use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side?"  
  
"I, for one, find it very ironic that your Death Eaters are pledged to destroying Muggle-born when you're a half-blood yourself," came Artemis's voice.  
  
"Oh, and you? I've never heard of the Fowls. You're no pureblood!"  
  
"And you don't know everything."  
  
"No. . . no, I don't. This all started with a question, in fact. How did you survive, Potter? Tell me everything."  
  
"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. My *Muggle-born* mother." He was shaking with suppressed rage. "I've seen the real you. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding, you're ugly. . ."  
  
Riddle's face contorted, his smile twisted. "So. Your mother died to save you. That is a powerful countercharm. So there's nothing special about you, after all. Mere lucky chance saved you. That's all I wanted to know."  
  
"Never tell the enemy your greatest secrets, Potter," Artemis chided him.  
  
"I'm not going to hide behind some pillar! He's evil--I'm facing him!"  
  
Artemis sighed. "You're such a Gryffindor."  
  
Riddle's laugh was chilling. It silenced them. "Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter. One last time. . ."  
  
"Here it comes," Artemis muttered to Butler.  
  
Riddle hissed, but Potter understood his words. "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."  
  
And the statue of Slytherin moved. His mouth opened into a wide black hole, where something was stirring, slithering up from its depths. The giant serpent uncoiled and hit the floor.  
  
Then Riddle's voice, "Kill him. Kill them all."  
  
Ron and Harry's eyes snapped shut and they scrambled frantically backwards. Riddle laughed again.  
  
"I have no intention of dying," Artemis said dryly.  
  
Shocked, Riddle turned to him. The basilisk raised its head. "No, *that* one first, Potter first," he told it absent-mindedly, pointing toward Potter. It slithered in that direction.  
  
Artemis pressed a button on the device in his hands. To the amazement of both Riddle and Potter, they heard Harry's voice speaking Parseltongue. "Stop. Do not kill."  
  
The basilisk ignored this. "Hah! It only responds to me!" Riddle exalted, but his voice sounded slightly shaken.  
  
In the darkness, they could *sense* Artemis's smile. "I anticipated this. Why do you think I let you keep talking? I recorded your voice, cross- referenced it, channeled it through the Parseltongue dictionary I'd created from Potter's samples earlier, giving me this."  
  
He pressed a different button. "Stop. Do not kill," came the hissing again, now in the voice of Riddle.  
  
Only three feet from where Ron was crouched beside a pillar of his own, the basilisk stopped.  
  
"What?" Riddle exploded.  
  
"Go back. Go to sleep," said the box.  
  
The basilisk turned. "No!" Riddle breathed deeply, forcing himself calm enough to order the basilisk, "He's tricking you. Kill the boy."  
  
"He's tricking you," the box responded, sounding exactly the same. "Kill the wizard man. Kill Riddle."  
  
The basilisk hovered uncertainly.  
  
"Look! That's just a talking box. Don't take orders from a box!"  
  
"It's not that smart," Artemis told him.  
  
A more desperate note entered his voice. "You know me. I've been your master for years. Obey me alone."  
  
"I am your master. Obey me alone."  
  
The basilisk coiled around itself, seeming pouty and uncertain.  
  
"Just kill the boy!" Riddle screamed, waving his fist.  
  
The snake turned ponderously until it was facing Potter again. He had his back to the wall and was sliding along it away from Riddle. The creature pursued.  
  
"Now," whispered Artemis. "Shoot its eyes."  
  
Butler had already attached a different kind of sniper lens to the gun. Now he raised it and fired twice. He was always deadly accurate.  
  
The scream of a snake is not a pretty sound. Riddle's scream of rage blended into it.  
  
"You can open your eyes now," Artemis called to the Gryffindors. They did.  
  
The basilisk had drawn itself up and was writhing right in front of Harry. He dashed away to stand by Ron. The beast was still screaming. Riddle spun to stare in hatred at Potter, about 3 metres away in the middle of the Chamber.  
  
"Expelliarmus," chanted a voice as a figure stepped out from the shadows of a pillar. Riddle's wand went flying into the boy's outstretched hand. Tom flew back and fell over almost on top of Ginny.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy." Artemis couldn't help but smile. "You've joined us here, too?"  
  
"I couldn't let a Fowl and a Potter get all the credit."  
  
But Riddle was hardly finished yet. Nor was the basilisk. Tom drew himself up onto his knees and shouted at it, "You can still attack him! Just listen for him. He's noisy enough!"  
  
The snake gave a long hiss and headed for Ron. He backpedaled quickly.  
  
"It still has deadly poisonous fangs."  
  
Butler, Artemis, and Draco had all immediately gone completely still and silent. The snake continued after Ron, who was moving, and Harry, who ran over to his friend, unwilling to abandon him.  
  
"You see, Potter!" Riddle called in delight. "I don't even need a wand to defeat you! I am the greatest wizard who ever lived!"  
  
Harry spared a look away from the basilisk at Tom. Potter was seething with rage and shaking with fear, but his voice was loud and decisive. "No you're not. Albus Dumbledore is. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now. . ."  
  
The basilisk lunged at Harry, who was making the most noise. Harry dodged and rolled. It lunged again and its forked tongue lashed his side. "Harry!" Ron cried.  
  
Music was coming from somewhere. The basilisk stopped, its bloody head turning from side to side. The music was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly, and growing louder. Draco felt goose-bumps rise on his flesh. As the music reached a pitch where he could feel it vibrating through his body, flames erupted on the top of the nearest pillar.  
  
It was a bird, bright crimson, with a glittering golden tail and golden talons, which were carrying a ragged bundle. It flew directly at Harry, dropped the bundle at his feet, and landed on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"That's a phoenix," Weasley breathed.  
  
"It's Dumbledore's," Potter practically whispered. "Fawkes."  
  
"And that," Riddle cut in, "is the school's sorting hat. . ." Abruptly he began to laugh. "This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat!" Switching to Parseltongue, he insisted once more, "Kill him!"  
  
The basilisk lunged for Potter again, but Fawkes flew at the beast and struck at it with his beak and talons. The snake thrashed, its tail narrowly missing Ron.  
  
Potter darted forward, swept up the hat, and rammed it on. 'Help me!' he thought. 'Please help me!'  
  
Fawkes circled the monster's head. "Ignore the bird!" Riddle yelled at it. "You can smell the boy!"  
  
The basilisk was bleeding, in pain, and enraged. It listened, it sniffed, and it lunged once more, blindly--and the Hat contracted over Harry's head, as though a hand squeezed it, and something very hard and very heavy fell on top of his head, almost knocking him out. Stars winked in front of his eyes, and then he felt a searing pain in his arm, just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang sank deeper and deeper into his flesh. White-hot pain was spreading slowly as the poison spread through his body.  
  
"Harry!" Ron screamed, pulling the Hat off his head. Something long and hard fell from beneath it: a gleaming sliver sword, its handle glittering with rubies. Ron picked it up and stood protectively over his friend as the basilisk swayed closer.  
  
"Artemis. . ." Butler said.  
  
"Right," Artemis sighed. "I didn't want to do this, but it looks like I have no choice." So saying, he pressed a smaller, red button on the device in his hand.  
  
Echoing through the Chamber from the box, a rooster crowed.  
  
The basilisk shuddered. "No!" Riddle shrieked, as the basilisk shuddered again, then collapsed with a heavy thud.  
  
Weasley looked at it, stunned.  
  
"The crow of a rooster's fatal to it. . . you had this all worked out from the beginning, didn't you, Fowl?" Malfoy sounded as if he was trying not to show just how impressed he was.  
  
"Naturally. I *am* a Fowl."  
  
The phoenix flew over and landed on Harry's chest. Draco and Ron both turned towards Riddle.  
  
Riddle, who in their moment's distraction, had pulled a knife from his boot and now held it against the unconscious Ginny's throat. Her body was cradled limply in one arm. His other hand held the knife. His eyes held a manic gleam.  
  
"Put the sword down, and those wands, too. Or else I'll slit her throat here and now."  
  
The sword fell at Ron's feet. Draco hesitated.  
  
"Do it, Malfoy! That's my sister!"  
  
Draco scowled and set down his own and Ginny's wands.  
  
"You two, come out from behind that puller, and throw down your wand and that gun!" Riddle ordered.  
  
"Obey for the moment," Artemis whispered, and he and Butler followed instructions. After all, it was hardly the only gun Butler had on him.  
  
"You--Artemis Fowl--pick up my wand over there and bring it to me."  
  
_________ ____________  
  
A/N's: Your reviews are a joy to my soul.  
  
power-to-the-pink: yes, the valentine was from Malfoy.  
  
Devilishangel: Artemis is 12, as are the other Second-Years (well, a couple have turned 13 already). I've decided "Artemis Fowl & The Artic Incident" takes place between his Second and Third Year at Hogwarts. I plan on writing more Years at Hogwarts, but I haven't decided if I'll do a story re- doing The Artic Incident with Harry Potter characters thrown in.  
  
Anthony1234, Solima, P. D. Yerf, Lyn/Lin, The CheezHead, Miranda, All Hail Chaos, flamin, Very evil daughter of Lord Vol: Thanks so much for reviewing! I live for you guys!  
  
elfpoet:Thank you, I enjoyed your review. I plan to keep going in the series. Holly will come into play eventually. Right now I'm just having fun without her.  
  
Earth Borne: Artemis has seen and copied the alchemy code in the Chamber. As you suspected, Butler's bullet went through Riddle. Can't make things too easy for them!  
  
Hippie-Banana, Hollbollz: Glad you like the story. Holly will make an appearance yet this Hogwarts year, but after the Chamber climax. More is yet to come after that adventure. . .  
  
jeweljade: You were right, the bullet was ineffectual. But shooting would be Butler's natural reaction.  
  
Dragon Hunter1: Thanks! It was more fun to write Slytherin House divided. Each boy has wealth, power, and political influence. They picked the side they thought would most benefit them and tried not to alienate the other side too badly, just in case. Oh, and I think I'll leave everyone wondering about eventual romantic pairings. . .  
  
Wizzabee: I'm going to keep writing. I'm having too much fun not to.  
  
Lunaceress: Lockhart will be dealt with eventually. . . we have a loose end in Dobby that will be taken care of, as well.  
  
JealousAlmonds: As you suspected, the gun couldn't hurt Riddle. I'm glad you like the extras I'm throwing in!  
  
Nallasariel the Weeper: This story's going to have more than one climax. After the Chamber adventure is done, there is more to come that will deal with other events that happen in Book Two. Like you said, it's only February--the year's not over yet! 


	21. 21

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 21  
  
"You--Artemis Fowl--pick up my wand over there and bring it to me."  
  
"Oh no," Butler said immediately. "No charge of mine is going anywhere that close to a man with a blade in his hands. Absolutely not."  
  
Riddle raised his eyebrows, slowly becoming calmer, more confident. "Your charge?"  
  
"He's Fowl's bodyguard," Draco supplied dryly.  
  
"And you were. . . Malfoy. Malfoy. . . not Lucius Malfoy's son? You do look like him. Ginny's mentioned you. She seems to think your father is a faithful follower of Voldemort."  
  
Draco's expression was unreadable. "And you seem to think you *are* Voldemort. But I have news for you, he's dead. And relatively unlamented-- he was defeated, after all." Draco buffed his fingernails against his robe carelessly while Voldemort's grip tightened around the knife. Draco looked down at his nails (although he couldn't really see that well in the dimness), then back up at Riddle. And smiled. "You, however, are young and in the prime of your power. You could start anew. With Potter out of the way. . . ah, but wait a minute, Potter doesn't seem to be dead."  
  
Riddle stiffened, his eyes flashing to Harry. Ron stepped aside to reveal Potter sitting up. "What--how--?"  
  
"Pheonix's tears, yes?" Artemis asked. "Fawkes did cry on your wound, didn't he?"  
  
Harry nodded, looking amazed.  
  
"And I wouldn't follow *you,* anyway," Draco finished, with as much superior arrogance and loathsome disdain in his voice as a Malfoy could manage. "You--Mudblood."  
  
Potter stood up, holding the sword concealed in his robes.  
  
"Who wants you anyway, *Malfoy,*" Riddle seethed. "You're apparently every bit the swanker Ginny described you as. Now bring me my wand."  
  
"If Fowl wouldn't do it, I'm not doing it," Draco pouted. "I don't care about some poverty-stricken Weasel brat who apparently insults me to boot. Let Potter do it."  
  
Riddle ground his teeth together.  
  
"I'll do it," Harry cut in hastily. "Don't hurt her. I'll do it."  
  
He began walking forward, slowly and carefully. Riddle eyed him with hatred and distrust.  
  
"Malfoy," Artemis said suddenly. "Did you just deny your father and Voldemort and foreswear his service?"  
  
Draco blinked. "No. . ."  
  
"Well, Voldemort *is* a half-blood. . ."  
  
"Shut up," Riddle hissed. "The blood of Salazar Slytherin runs in my veins!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Artemis waved this aside. "Malfoy?"  
  
Another step closer. Another. Weasley bit his lip, watching Harry.  
  
"All right, maybe, maybe I'm not too thrilled with the possibility of becoming a Death Eater. That's all I'm admitting."  
  
"Fine, it's a start."  
  
"That in no way changes who I am, Fowl."  
  
"Of course not. Your basic Malfoy personality remains as rotten as ever."  
  
Another step, almost there. . .  
  
"For example," Artemis continued, speaking quickly, "if you wanted information out of someone, and he wouldn't talk, what would you do?"  
  
"Threaten him," Draco replied promptly. "And if that didn't work, hex him a bit."  
  
"You are an evil git, Malfoy," Ron put in with a sneer.  
  
Draco's eyes flashed to him, then back to Fowl as Artemis spoke once again. "It's just a Slytherin thing, I guess, because I did that same thing with a certain book. . . it got very talkative after I threatened it with Incendio."  
  
Draco's eyes widened as Weasley, who had not been ordered to throw down his wand out of oversight, pulled it and yelled, "Accio knife!"  
  
It didn't work, of course; his wand let out a strange sickly color, but the knife *was* torn from Riddle's hand to sail in the opposite direction from Ron. Tom dropped Ginny.  
  
Potter pushed aside the folds of his robe and thrust for Riddle's heart with his sword. It went into his chest up to the hilt. He pulled it back out with shaking hands; the reality of what he'd done taking that long to hit him.  
  
Only there was no blood, and Riddle was laughing.  
  
"Ginny's not dead yet," he grinned. "I'm not real yet. You can't touch me. You can't kill me."  
  
Potter stared at him, suddenly feeling weak. Riddle grabbed for the sword in his hand. Fowl moved for his wand.  
  
Draco was faster. He had a Seeker's reflexes, after all. He lunged forward and scooped up both the wands.  
  
Riddle was stronger than Harry. He wrenched the sword from his grasp and turned towards Draco, who was reaching for something else on the floor.  
  
Riddle went pale. "Leave that alone!" He brought the sword around.  
  
Draco leaped back, holding the diary in his hands. Riddle leveled the sword at him. Potter tackled Tom from behind.  
  
"Incendio," Draco said, and his wand flamed at the tip.  
  
"No! Stop!" Riddle threw Potter off of him.  
  
Draco touched the diary with the burning wand.  
  
Riddle screamed. Ink spurted out of the diary like blood. "Hotter," Draco whispered; the fire responded. He had to drop the book to the floor, where it burned quickly.  
  
Riddle screamed again and fell, writhing and twisting on the ground. Ink and ash pooled around the diary like a dreadful river.  
  
Then Riddle was gone.  
  
Silence. Everyone stared around at each other. Then Ron ran to his sister.  
  
Artemis smirked. "I can't believe it, Malfoy. You actually took a hint."  
  
Draco crossed his arms. "You're the strategy man. I'm the Seeker. And I expect far more congratulations than that, by the way."  
  
Ginny moaned and stirred. Potter rushed over to her side, as well. Fowl and Butler both went to join the rest in the middle of the Chamber.  
  
"Ron--Harry--I tried to tell you once, b-but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy--it was *me*---but I-I swear I d-didn't mean to. . ."  
  
"Don't worry, Ginny." Ron cradled her in his arms and rocked her back and forth. "We know. It wasn't your fault."  
  
"W-where's Tom?"  
  
"Would you believe Malfoy killed him?"  
  
"No. . ."  
  
Draco threw up his hands. "Fine! That's the thanks I get. I kept your wand safe and everything." He held it out to her.  
  
She looked up at him, then slowly reached out and took it.  
  
"And Fowl killed the basilisk," Ron said.  
  
"Let's get out of here," Potter suggested.  
  
"A very good idea." Butler looked at Artemis, who nodded.  
  
Ron helped Ginny up. "I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny was crying. "W- what'll Mum and Dad say?"  
  
"I think Dumbledore will understand you were possessed," Artemis said in a soothing tone. "I don't think you'll be expelled. Everything will be fine."  
  
Artemis wasn't used to reassuring people, but she seemed to calm down at his words.  
  
Fawkes flew ahead of them as they left the Chamber and walked back through the tunnel. Potter had retrieved the sword and the Sorting Hat and brought them along. Ron watched Ginny closely to make sure she was OK and didn't stumble. Butler guarded the rear.  
  
Draco looked over at Artemis, who looked back. "You knew destroying the book would get rid of Riddle."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How did you know I'd figure out what you meant?"  
  
"Because, Malfoy, you are an enemy to be reckoned with."  
  
A strange warm feeling filled Draco, and he smiled. Artemis marveled at the smile--Malfoy looked really, honestly happy. "Yeah, I know."  
  
Artemis half-smiled back. "You know if Potter hadn't tackled Riddle, he'd have run that sword through you before the diary could burn."  
  
"If I hadn't grabbed the diary, he would have skewered Potter."  
  
The rest of the smile crept onto Artemis's face. "So it all balances out in the end, I guess."  
  
Draco nodded. "I still don't know why you went into the Chamber in the first place, though. There's more to your reasoning than you're letting on."  
  
"Hm. You think so?"  
  
"I know so, Fowl, don't even try it."  
  
They had reached the pipe. "How do we get back up this?" Harry asked.  
  
Fawkes flew in front of Potter and fluttered there, waving his long golden tail feathers.  
  
"He acts like he wants to carry us," Ron frowned. "But we'd be much too heavy."  
  
"He's a phoenix," Potter shrugged, "not an ordinary bird. I suppose it'll work." He turned to the others. "We'll have to hold on to each other."  
  
"Everybody hold hands," Draco sing-songed, taking Ginny's. Artemis grabbed Ginny's other hand as Malfoy winked at her.  
  
"Why are these Slytherins handling my sister, Harry?"  
  
"What, you think we want to hold *your* hand?"  
  
Butler took Artemis's other hand; Ron and Harry played Paper, Rock, Scissors to see who'd be stuck with Malfoy, as Butler insisted on keeping one hand free (to fire a gun). Draco looked greatly offended, especially after Harry lost.  
  
Potter tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into his belt and took his position. Ron took hold of Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers. An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through them, and the next second they were flying upward through the pipe with a rush of wings. Moments later they were standing again in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and the sink was sliding back into place to hide the tunnel.  
  
Myrtle goggled at them. "All alive?"  
  
"Do you have to seem so disappointed?"  
  
"Oh, well. . . I was thinking. . . well, if Artemis died, he could share my toilet." Myrtle blushed silver.  
  
"Time to report to Dumbledore," Artemis spoke hastily. "Bye, Myrtle!"  
  
Malfoy laughed all the way down the hall.  
  
__________ ________  
  
They stood outside the secret entrance to Dumbledore's office, taking turns guessing at the password. "Do we *have* to talk to Dumbledore?" Draco complained again.  
  
"I think he's going to want to know about the Chamber of Secrets."  
  
"What about the Chamber of Secrets, boys?" came a voice.  
  
They all turned to see a man with rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, wearing a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm, he carried a lime-green bowler. Draco cringed at the lack of fashion sense.  
  
Ron gulped. "You--you're Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic! You're my dad's boss!"  
  
"You must be a Weasley," the man said, "and you, as well." He looked at Ginny. Ron had his arm around her protectively.  
  
Draco shoved forward. Fudge noticed him and smiled weakly. "Why hello, young Malfoy. Bad business it's been here, hasn't it?"  
  
"What brings you here, Minister?"  
  
Fudge looked a bit uncomfortable. "Here to see Dumbledore. I'm afraid there's going to be an arrest over this Chamber deal."  
  
Ginny let out an "eep" and fainted. Ron managed to catch her.  
  
Fudge stepped back. "Oh dear. Why should the arrest of the groundskeeper be so shocking to her?"  
  
"Hagrid!" Potter exploded. "You can't arrest Hagrid! He's innocent!"  
  
"There's been another attack, young man. The Ministry must do something! Things have gone far enough!"  
  
The gargoyle suddenly opened and stairs rotated into view. "Are you all here to see me?" Dumbledore inquired, coming down the stairs. He radiated peace and serenity, which was a good thing.  
  
Not that it helped. "I'm afraid I'm here to arrest Hagrid," Fudge announced stiffly. "His record is against him. The school governors have been in touch. . ."  
  
"If I may insert a word here," Artemis cut in smoothly. "You are, of course, doing what you feel is best. You must maintain the people's confidence in the Ministry."  
  
"Quite so, quite so, young man! And who might you be?"  
  
He smiled and Fudge tightened his grip on his hat so hard he nearly crushed it forever out of shape. "I'm Artemis Fowl."  
  
Fudge stared at him. "Are you," he said weakly.  
  
"As good as your intentions are, however, your actions are unnecessary, for the Heir of Slytherin and his monster have both been defeated. As of roughly 10 minutes ago."  
  
Fudge's mouth dropped open and he gawped.  
  
"Indeed?" Dumbledore peered at Artemis, then Potter, over the rim of his glasses. "Perhaps we could all go to my office and you could explain the current situation to us." They all nodded. "But first, let us revive Miss Weasley."  
  
"About blooming time somebody saw to her," Ron snapped, not even caring this was the Headmaster at that point. "She's been through too much; she needs rest."  
  
"I quite agree," Dumbledore said calmly. "Why don't you help her to the hospital wing once I've revived her, and I'll be along to see her once I have all this sorted out."  
  
Then Ron was somewhat mollified. Ginny was woken up and babbled incoherently until Dumbledore assured her that he quite understood and she was by no means going to be arrested or expelled.  
  
She calmed after that and let her brother lead her off to the infirmary as the rest of the group trudged up the stairs.  
  
Then Butler, Artemis, Draco, and Harry found themselves seated in comfortable chairs in Dumbledore's office, next to the Minister of Magic (who sat by Malfoy), with the Headmaster at his desk, examining the lot of them.  
  
"Now then," Dumbledore smiled, "would anyone care for a lemon drop? No? Then why don't you begin your explanations."  
  
Harry sighed. "I'll start. I was hearing voices, which Hermione later realized was the basilisk. I could hear it because I understand Parseltongue. I knew it wanted to kill people, so I started investigating about it. Along with them."  
  
"And why were you two investigating?" Dumbledore asked them in a kind, reasonable voice.  
  
Once again the two Slytherins found themselves glancing at each other out of the corner of their eyes. "Because we didn't like the idea of some monster stalking around, picking off students, either," Draco answered after a moment.  
  
"And what did you discover?"  
  
"We learned that the Chamber of Secrets was opened 50 years ago by a student named Tom Riddle. That he bound part of his soul and his magic into a diary that was found this year by a student. She wrote in it, not realizing what it was, and was entrapped by it. It possessed her, causing her to open the Chamber and set the basilisk free once more," Artemis said. "And today we tracked her to the Chamber, followed her down, killed the basilisk, burnt the diary, and freed the student from her enslavement."  
  
"Well, that's an incredible story, if it's true." Fudge fidgeted around in his seat. "Where's your proof?"  
  
"You mean, besides six eyewitness accounts and the dead body of a basilisk in the Chamber? You can look at that, if you'd like."  
  
"Oh. Oh, that's great, then. All this time, the monster was a basilisk. Extraordinary."  
  
A knock sounded on the door. "Enter," Dumbledore called.  
  
The door opened. Standing proudly in the doorway, with an aristocratic elegance Potter could never hope to copy, was Lucius Malfoy.  
  
____________ ___________  
  
Author's Note: Don't leave yet, faithful readers. This story is far from over. Oh, yes--far from over. 


	22. 22 New Problems

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 22  
  
A knock sounded on the door. "Enter," Dumbledore called.  
  
The door opened. Standing in the doorway, with an aristocratic arrogance Potter could never hope to copy, was Lucius Malfoy. He wore a long black cloak and had his immaculate blond hair pulled back.  
  
"Father," Draco breathed, no louder than a murmur. His face had gone very white, his muscles very tense.  
  
Artemis looked over at him, then back over at Lucius Malfoy with suddenly narrowed eyes.  
  
"The Board of Governors is concerned about recent events," Lucius drawled lazily. "They've called for your suspension. All 12 signatures are on this document. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. Another attack this afternoon--at this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an *awful* loss that would be."  
  
Potter restrained himself from leaping up and shouting at him with great difficulty.  
  
"Not to worry, Lucius," Fudge said in a voice full of obviously forced cheerfulness. "The problem has been taken care of."  
  
"What?" Mr. Malfoy blinked, honestly taken aback for all of four seconds, then he recovered. He focused on the other guests in Dumbledore's office for the first time. "Why, Draco. Not getting in trouble, are you?"  
  
"No, sir," Draco replied hoarsely. All of his father's words suddenly came crashing back in on him. Let the Heir get on with it. Stay out of the way. The school needs cleansed. Worthless Mudbloods. . . 'And I've just gone and killed Tom Riddle. I killed the Dark Lord's younger self. The guy my father used to serve--and still does, by all accounts, dead or not. What was I thinking? I'm not that indiscreet. I said I don't want to be a Death Eater. Out loud. If somebody repeats that. . . I'm disowned, I'm done for. Merlin, my father's going to murder me!'  
  
"That's good--why don't you share a few more details, hm? The problem's been taken care of?" His gaze flicked from Draco to Fudge to Potter back to Draco.  
  
"Potter killed Tom Riddle," Draco blurted. "He was in some old book--came alive and possessed the youngest Weasley brat."  
  
"I see. . ." Lucius's face was very cold and hard now. He looked at Dumbledore. "Are you sure she wasn't acting on her own?"  
  
"Quite sure," Artemis spoke up. "Riddle himself confessed the whole thing, just before I killed his basilisk."  
  
Lucius Malfoy's smile would have frozen hell. "And who might you be?"  
  
"Artemis Fowl, the Second."  
  
Their eyes met and locked. They say if ice is cold enough, it burns, and anyone caught between their gaze would have been ashes.  
  
"Yes. . . Slytherin. Same year as my son. I believe he wrote me about you."  
  
"I'm not surprised.--It's a good thing Potter found Riddle's diary. If there hadn't been proof that Ginny Weasley wasn't acting on her own. . . imagine, the daughter of one of the most prominent pureblood families, whose father is backing a Muggle Protection Act murdering Muggle-borns on her own. Think what the consequences could have been."  
  
"Quite right, Mr. Fowl," said Dumbledore, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "Quite right. But you don't have to explain to Mr. Malfoy! As the skilled politician he is, he can imagine the consequences only too well, I'm sure."  
  
Lucius forced a smile. "Indeed. And how are you involved in all this, Draco?"  
  
Draco's mind went blank.  
  
"My bodyguard Butler came to visit me," Artemis interrupted as Draco wet his lips and tried to find words. "He went to the dungeons and found Malfoy and they started hunting me. They found Potter and me with the Weasleys, fresh from leaving the Chamber of Secrets."  
  
"And how did the four of you end up covered in slime?"  
  
"Butler naturally volunteered to help me climb out of a very steep, very slimy pipe. That's how he got dirty. And while he was helping me, Malfoy kindly assisted Weasley in getting his sister out--she was unconscious at the time. Poor Malfoy--I know those are custom-tailored robes, that fabric will never be the same. . ."  
  
"Yours are custom-tailored, too, Fowl." Draco tried to speak as arrogantly as normal and managed fairly well.  
  
"Yes, but I'd gone down by choice. Whereas you were making the best of a bad job, I believe."  
  
"I see. . ." Lucius studied his son a moment longer, then turned back to Dumbledore. "Well then. I guess our call for your removal won't be necessary this time. But we'll be watching you, Dumbledore. To have this happen at all--you're slipping."  
  
"Oh, come now, Lucius," Fudge began, but a glare from Malfoy Sr. shut him up.  
  
"Draco, I'll talk to you another time. When you're not so--tainted. Nasty stuff, slime. Make sure to shower well."  
  
Tainted. Draco felt his stomach clench.  
  
Lucius Malfoy swept out of the room. The door closed behind him with a bang.  
  
"I'll just be leaving now, as well," Fudge said uncomfortably. "I'll let the Ministry know everything's fine. What about the Petrified students?"  
  
"In one week's time, the Mandrakes should be ready. Then it will be a simple matter of un-petrifying them."  
  
"Good, good. Farewell then, Albus. Young Malfoy. Harry Potter. Artemis Fowl. And--what was your name, sir?"  
  
"Butler."  
  
". . . Yes, Butler. Good day."  
  
After his exit, the room was quiet for a moment.  
  
"So what really happened?" Dumbledore regarded them with a twinkle in his eye. He took out a lemon drop and began to suck on it.  
  
And they told him. Mostly. It's never wise to tell *all* your secrets.  
  
________ ________  
  
"Special awards for services to the school and 200 House points each," Draco reflected as he, Artemis, and Butler headed back to the dungeons. Dumbledore had asked Potter to remain behind for a few more questions.  
  
"Too bad your part has to be kept secret," Artemis remarked. "Did your father believe us, do you think?"  
  
Draco nodded slowly. "I think."  
  
"Will he do anything to you?"  
  
Draco did not meet Artemis's eyes. He felt exposed and ashamed. How much could Artemis guess about his father and their relationship? "I'm sure everything's fine," he lied. He was far from sure.  
  
"We could've used your 200 points, too. Gryffindor's still ahead for the House Cup."  
  
"It's not my fault!"  
  
Artemis stopped walking. "I know. I'm not implying that it was."  
  
Draco stopped, too, a few feet away. "How do you think Ginny Weasley got that diary?"  
  
Artemis hesitated. "I think--remember that little scene at Flourish and Blott's before school started? I think your father slipped it in with that book he took from her." He waited for Draco's defensive reaction.  
  
He didn't get one. Draco simply looked solemn, and somewhat tired--and old. "That's what I kind of thought, too."  
  
"You did well today, Malfoy."  
  
"You, too. You're very slick, Fowl." Draco's expression became more jovial, as if he was impressed against his will.  
  
"The phoenix is a very useful bird."  
  
"I noticed that." Draco looked over at Butler. "He's a good shot. Why the glasses, by the way?"  
  
"Ah, we were protected from the basilisk's stare. Just the rest of you poor blokes. . ."  
  
"Fowl. You really are a genius, aren't you?"  
  
"You just now noticed?"  
  
Draco smirked. "Something like that."  
  
They resumed walking.  
  
"Fowl--this doesn't mean we're friends or anything."  
  
"Of course not, Malfoy."  
  
___________ _________  
  
Artemis was on hand shortly after Granger was revived. As expected, when he visited her in the Hospital Wing, Potter and Weasley were with her.  
  
"Good to see you up and about," Artemis told her.  
  
"Thanks. So you killed the basilisk."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You could have let us in on more of your plan."  
  
"Honestly. . . I'm not used to trusting people."  
  
"Fortunately, I figured it all out for myself."  
  
Artemis granted her a smile. Intelligence was to be admired, after all, even if it didn't rival his own.  
  
"One question, though. . . did you ever actually hear any voices? Because if you did, that would make you a Parselmouth, and you wouldn't have needed that box."  
  
"Um." Artemis looked at the Trio, who were watching him closely. "Actually, no." What was this, guilt? He banished it. "I just needed to get you talking. Otherwise, would you have associated with a Slytherin?"  
  
The boys looked indignant. Hermione did not. "Honestly? No. And it would have been our loss."  
  
Artemis blinked.  
  
"Stay friends, Artemis Fowl?" She held out her hand.  
  
"All right," he said, feeling strangely pleased. He shook her hand.  
  
Potter and Weasley looked at each other, at Hermione, then shrugged. They offered their hands and shook, too.  
  
At the door to the infirmary, Artemis stopped and looked back. "Hey, Weasley--say hi to your sister for me."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"And if she ever gets a fancy for large men, Goyle thinks she's pretty."  
  
*"What?"*  
  
Artemis smirked at Ron's expression and left.  
  
___________ _____________  
  
Classes were cancelled that day, and there was a feast in celebration that lasted for hours. Dumbledore chose that time to present the Special Service Awards and the House points. Everyone had known Potter was involved somehow, but the rest of the details had been hushed up. Now everyone applauded as Dumbledore made a speech praising Potter and Weasley for their bravery, and then they returned to eating, expecting everything to be done.  
  
"And this third award goes to Artemis Fowl of Slytherin House," Dumbledore continued loudly. The hall went quiet, then whispers began: "Slytherin? What do the Slytherins have to do with it?"  
  
Artemis walked to the front and collected the plaque the Headmaster gave him. "I would call you brave," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling madly, "but as that is such a Gryffindor trait, I fear you would be insulted. Or I could describe your intelligence in solving the mystery, but isn't that a Ravenclaw trait? So I will congratulate you instead on your cunning, your determination, your overall Slytherin-ness that allowed you to use your traits together, trick the villain, and destroy his basilisk. I feel there could be no higher compliment."  
  
Three more seconds of absolute quiet. Artemis mentally sighed. "Perhaps this will put an end to rumors against our House. I, for one, would like to see more inter-House cooperation." He didn't mean that last part, but he knew the sort of things one was expected to say. He politely smiled at Dumbledore, and held up his plaque for the Slytherin table to get a better look at.  
  
Four more seconds of dead silence. By now, Draco was feeling rather put out. "Whatever," he said suddenly, in a loud voice. Then he shot to his feet, raised one fist in the air, and shouted, "Slytherins rock!"  
  
Upon which Artemis and Snape actually (mostly) smiled, and the whole Slytherin table burst into wild cheering. Artemis went and sat back down.  
  
Dumbledore merrily began clapping along, so Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff applauded, as well. Very few people amongst the Gryffindors did, however. But what truly astonished everyone was that those clapping included Potter, Granger, and all the Weasleys, who felt they owed Artemis at least that much for saving Ginny's life.  
  
____________ ____________  
  
"The Ides of March are upon us," declared Artemis at breakfast.  
  
"What?"  
  
"He just means it's mid-March," Chevalier interpreted.  
  
"Couldn't he just say that?"  
  
Zabini came running in late. "Does Ginny Weasley have my hawk again? I can't find him."  
  
"Snape's birthday is the last day of March," Pansy informed them.  
  
"Really? Does he give a party?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" Eva laughed.  
  
"He's seemed almost--happy, lately."  
  
"He's still basking in a state of overwhelming contentment, brought about when Slytherin got applauded for Artemis's award."  
  
Millicent's eyes suddenly filled with panic. "Wait, did I bring my Charms homework?" She began rooting through her bag.  
  
"Malfoy, don't forget Quidditch practice tonight," Flint called over as he left the table. Draco nodded.  
  
"Bulstrode, you're dropping things." Goyle handed her quill to her.  
  
"I heard we're having a surprise quiz in Herbology."  
  
"Not much of a surprise, apparently."  
  
"I'm still hungry."  
  
"You always are, Crabbe."  
  
_____________ ____________  
  
"So, any more visits from that house elf?" Artemis asked Granger as they left the Potions classroom.  
  
"Not since just after you all defeated Riddle. I wonder how Dobby is doing."  
  
Draco pushed Longbottom out of the way and scowled. He had been eavesdropping on their conversation. "Dobby? A house elf named Dobby?"  
  
Artemis and Granger turned to look at him. Granger's chin went up. "Yeah, so?"  
  
"*We* have a house elf called Dobby. He's served the Malfoys for decades. Why are you talking about him?"  
  
'Well now,' Artemis thought, 'isn't *that* interesting.'  
  
"I don't have to tell you anything!" Hermione stalked away.  
  
"Fowl. . ."  
  
"Malfoy. . . it's really better if you don't know."  
  
"I have the right to know!"  
  
"If I tell you, you can't let on. Promise?"  
  
"Promise. Slytherin honor."  
  
"Mm hm."  
  
A half-grin. "Oh, all right, I'll swear on something else."  
  
"Just wait til we get back to the common room." Finnegan kept staring at them suspiciously, even though they were now speaking very softly.  
  
__________ __________  
  
"So our house elf has been trying to save Potter by nearly killing him several times?"  
  
"That about sums it up, yes."  
  
Draco leaned back against the couch and stretched his legs out toward the fire. "Very erratic behavior, for a house elf. He's not even supposed to leave the Manor without permission."  
  
Artemis's brow furrowed. "You're taking this very well."  
  
"At this point, not much is left to be done about it. It's more like a case of, 'well, whatever.'" He shifted and crossed his arms. "My parents wouldn't be happy."  
  
"So don't tell them."  
  
". . . I might not."  
  
"Anyway, now that you know, I have homework to do." Artemis picked up his bag and stood.  
  
"Last Quidditch game next Friday. Against Hufflepuff--it's a joke, really."  
  
"Be sure to win. We're still in the running for the House Cup."  
  
Draco continued to sit by the fire after Artemis left. So--a traitorous house elf. And for Potter, of all people. Draco still detested Potter. He sighed. They were only behind 80 points for the House Cup. If only he'd gotten his 200 points! It was all his father's fault, but that was no use thinking about.  
  
'Meanwhile, Fowl probably thinks I'm getting soft. I better insult him some more.'  
  
___________ ____________  
  
Mail time came with the rush of air and the clapping of wings, with hoots and feathers. Owls swooped along the Slytherin table, dropping off their burdens and then settling down for bacon for breakfast.  
  
A large grey owl, with eyes that seemed too human for a mere bird, landed by Draco's right hand. He recognized it at once as his father's. A letter was attached to his leg. It bore the Malfoy seal.  
  
He didn't want to read it, but he knew that, like in so many things, he had no choice. He considered waiting until he was alone, but he couldn't stand the suspense. He ripped it open and read,  
  
"Draco, to my dismay, it has been brought to my attention that you have been running around with Muggle-lovers, Mudbloods, and half-bloods. I have seen with my own eyes your relations with that dreadful Artemis Fowl. You have allowed yourself to become tainted, Draco. This cannot be ignored. You will stop your associations immediately. I will be paying close attention to your actions in days to come. Keep this in mind. Lucius."  
  
Tainted. There was that word again. Merlin, he'd been afraid something like this would happen. And now his father. . . his father would be watching him. It occurred to him to wonder--would they be watching Fowl again now, too?  
  
"Draco. Draco, what's wrong? You've got a really weird expression."  
  
His friends were staring at him. "Nothing," he managed.  
  
"Liar," Fowl said.  
  
Draco's eyes narrowed and his cheeks flushed. "Be careful what you call me, Fowl." His voice was soft and dangerous.  
  
"Very well. You are not, at all times or in general, a liar. But you are, currently, lying."  
  
"Just shut up. I don't care about your opinions. And by the way, you remember our little discussion about the Ministry? I'm thinking their eyes are open wide again."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Draco, that was your father's handwriting, wasn't it?" Pansy asked.  
  
"Would you all just mind your own business?"  
  
She looked hurt.  
  
He didn't care. Why should he care? He was tainted. He was letting down generations of Malfoys. He was a disgrace to wizards and purebloods and everyone who mattered. He felt cold and hot at the same time.  
  
And the worst part was, his father would be watching him.  
  
Fowl was looking at him, Fowl had the strangest, unreadable expression. "Malfoy. . ."  
  
"Just. Leave. Me. Alone!" Draco jumped to his feet and stalked away.  
  
_________ __________  
  
A/N: Holly coming soon! More conflict, plot twists, and adventure!  
  
I love you all, my dear reviewers!  
  
Oh, and Artemis running from Moaning Myrtle was a rational, strategic retreat. :) 


	23. 23

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 23  
  
Artemis and Zabini were waiting outside the Potions room, killing time until class started by talking to Granger, who had come up to ask Artemis his opinion of the eternal question, "If a tree fell in a forest with no one to hear, does it make a sound?"  
  
"What kind of stupid question is that?" Zabini asked. "Of course it does."  
  
"It's meant to be more philosophical than that," Artemis said. "Humanity's view of itself as all-important. . ."  
  
"What are you two doing? Why are you talking to a Mudblood?"  
  
All three stiffened and turned around to see Malfoy sneering at them, backed by Crabbe and Goyle. "Where's your Slytherin pride?" he continued.  
  
"Do we have to start all this again, Malfoy?"  
  
"I'm just pointing out the inappropriateness of your behavior. Which you should already know."  
  
"I don't want to act like a Malfoy, thanks," Zabini retorted icily.  
  
"Malfoys are far better than. . ."  
  
"Oh, knock it off!" Granger threw her hands up. "It's always the same old lines from you. Ooh, don't let the Mudblood touch you, you might get dirty. Don't let her talk to you, you might hear some actual truth and common sense. . ."  
  
'Could that be another reason Father doesn't want me talking to Fowl?' He cut that thought off. "No one asked your opinion, Mudblood."  
  
Granger glared at him. "I've heard enough out of you. I don't need to stand here and listen to you insult me." She flounced into the room to join Potter and Weasley.  
  
"Malfoy," Artemis said softly, "I don't know what your father wrote you, but. . ."  
  
"Shut up, Fowl!"  
  
Artemis felt vaguely worried about Malfoy, to his own surprise and displeasure, but so far he had managed to rationalize it. "Come on, we all know this is about. . ."  
  
"Leave my father out of it," Draco growled, taking a step closer.  
  
"Fine, but you shouldn't let him. . ."  
  
"I'm not letting him do anything! I can think for myself! You're the one who's decided to follow in your father's criminal footsteps."  
  
All sympathy for his fellow classmate fled. "I have told you my father is not a criminal."  
  
Draco smirked. "He is. He's a lousy, no-good, revolting criminal. Police are probably chasing him all over Ireland. That's why you never mention him. You can't even remember his face, probably."  
  
Artemis's arm shot out, grabbed the collar of Draco's robes and pulled him in until their faces were almost touching. "Don't insult my father again." They all shivered at the tone of his voice. Then he shoved Draco back into Crabbe and Goyle and strode into the classroom. Zabini ran after him.  
  
Draco righted his balance and stared after him in shock. He hadn't gotten a rise out of Fowl since. . . since. . . since the last time he'd insulted his father. A slow smirk began.  
  
Anger and a smug satisfaction built in him. He could finally get that revenge he'd vowed so long ago, make Lucius proud, and show Fowl he could think for himself, all at once.  
  
_____________ __________  
  
Artemis sat in History of Magic with Professor Binns, in actual danger of falling asleep in class, a first for him. Boredom had oozed in like a leech, attached unnoticed to one toe, painfully sucking out one's life's blood and replacing it with ennui.  
  
He wasn't the only one suffering. "Some days I just want to murder Binns and end it all," Zabini moaned in a whisper to Artemis. "But then I remember he's already dead. I could kill myself, I suppose, but then I wouldn't be around to enjoy it."  
  
Artemis graced him with a smirk. "Don't tempt me," he whispered back. "Perhaps the Baron could give him a talking to."  
  
"That's an interesting idea."  
  
"Maybe he could be sidetracked onto a more interesting topic," Marie suggested from Zabini's other side.  
  
Blaise looked at her with an expression of affectionate incredulity. "Like what?"  
  
But Artemis's hand went up as he interrupted Binns in mid-Goblin War-drone. "Professor, can you tell us anything about leprechauns?"  
  
Binns blinked, as if awakening from sleep himself. "Leprechaun? Irish. Small folk. Live under rainbows, keep pots of gold."  
  
Artemis waited to see if anyone would disagree. No one. "Ah," he said finally. "Standard lore then. Myths and legends. Never seen a real one?"  
  
"Oh, they exist," Binns replied. "Professional Quidditch team even uses them for a mascot. Their gold, alas, vanishes after a few hours. I've never spoken to one."  
  
Artemis frowned. Had some race decided to take advantage of the legends by modeling themselves after the leprechaun stereotype?  
  
Binns restarted his speech mid-sentence, just where he'd left off. Artemis sighed. "I'll just go back to apathy, then, shall I?"  
  
The class laughed. Binns appeared not to have heard.  
  
"I could relate the history of the Malfoy family," Draco offered, sitting forward and leaning over the back of Bole's chair. "We are a fascinating bunch."  
  
"Oh, I could make *so* many comments to that," Zabini sighed delightedly.  
  
"You keep shut, Blaise."  
  
"Could you all keep it down?" Bulstrode mumbled. "I'm trying to sleep."  
  
Goyle started to laugh. Draco turned and looked at him, then smiled. "Never mind. We'll let Millicent sleep."  
  
__________ ____________  
  
Ron Weasley looked down at the chessboard in dismay.  
  
"You are winning, right? Gryffindor pride is at stake here."  
  
Ron looked around the Transfiguration classroom. Harry and Hermione sat at one end of the table, watching the chess match. At the other end sat Blaise Zabini, looking around uncomfortably and stealthily reaching for his wand every time someone came too near him--just in case. At the next table over, Ron's sister Ginny was doing her nails with Eva Bole, and currently teasing him about his playing skills.  
  
Across the chessboard from him, Artemis Fowl regarded him coolly, perhaps even with amusement, but it was hard to tell with the Slytherin. Ron sighed. "Rather good at this, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How good are you?"  
  
"Honestly?" Ron nodded. "Well--I did defeat the European chess champion Evan Kashoggi in an online tournament. That's Muggle chess, though, of course."  
  
Hermione perked up. "Really? Kashoggi? Wow!"  
  
Artemis succeeded in looking humble. Ron wondered how he did it.  
  
Bored, Zabini turned to regard Ginny. "So, how's my hawk doing? I swear, he's with you more than me anymore. I feel left out."  
  
Ginny laughed, and all the Gryffindors smiled, heartened. It had been a long time since she had laughed. "It's not like we spend real quality time. I've managed to fend him off by letting him chew on my hair brush."  
  
Zabini grinned. "You must do well in Care of Magical Creatures."  
  
"Well, my brother Charlie does work with dragons in Romania."  
  
"Isn't that dangerous?" Bole asked.  
  
"Some. . . but he likes it."  
  
Ron sighed. No matter how he studied the board, he saw no way out. He was doomed to be checkmated in three moves. "Ah well, I tried." He shoved his castle forward.  
  
"You're very good at this, actually," Fowl said, and took the castle with his queen.  
  
Two moves later, Zabini patted Ron on the shoulder with a smirk that still managed to convey sympathy. "Don't feel bad. He always wins at Scrabble and Monopoly, too."  
  
"And usually Clue and Black Jack, and don't get me started on Risk and crossword puzzles," Bole put in. "Most of us have given up playing with him, to be honest."  
  
"How about Wizard's Trivial Pursuit--Granger vs. Fowl? She's been immersed in the wizarding world longer, so he's got a handicap," Potter suggested.  
  
The two named combatants looked at each other, raised their eyebrows, and sized the other up. Hermione smiled. "Let's do it."  
  
"Five Galleons on Fowl," Blaise said.  
  
"Five on Hermione," Potter responded immediately. "Gryffindor pride."  
  
When Chevalier found them 40 minutes later, the game had gotten sidetracked by Granger and Fowl comparing their favorite passages from "Hogwarts: A History," much to the disgust of the others in the room.  
  
"Just what she needed," Ron groaned to Harry. "Encouragement."  
  
____________ ___________  
  
"Hear you and the Mudblood have gotten pretty friendly," Draco sneered at him as most of the boys were getting ready for bed in their dorm room.  
  
Artemis didn't reply, just started digging through his trunk.  
  
"I'm not surprised, what with your own dirty blood and all. Not even that much of a step down for you, really."  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy," Zabini snarled at him while Crabbe and Goyle looked on unhappily.  
  
"Fowls are better than Malfoys."  
  
Draco scowled, whipping back around to see Artemis holding up his Christmas plaque. "Fowls are better than Malfoys," it said again.  
  
"Oh, I almost forgot, my mum sent me donuts this morning!" Zabini cried as Draco stalked over to Artemis. Zabini reached into a drawer and pulled out a box as Draco tried to snatch the plaque away. Blaise opened the box as Artemis pointed out to Draco that, "I'm the one whose wand is out." Zabini raised the lid and started naming off, "I got cinnamon, chocolate, pumpkin. . ."  
  
"Great!" Crabbe and Goyle came bounding over to grab one of each.  
  
"Hey, wait, don't be greedy. . ." He gave up with a sigh. "Better get over here if you want any."  
  
Artemis may have been a ruthless criminal mastermind but he was still a growing boy. He tossed his plaque back into his trunk and sealed it away. Then he went over for a donut.  
  
Draco also took one, then sat down cross-legged on his bed to eat it. Deep in thought, he ignored the powdered sugar spilling onto his sheets. He had been tempted to carry out his revenge right then, but he wanted to wait a few days, give Fowl time to think that he'd forgotten the incident, that he was safe.  
  
And for some reason, he'd found that he wanted to do it in private. He wasn't sure why, but it just felt as if it would be sweeter, more personal that way.  
  
____________ __________  
  
A/N: OK, this is a really short chapter, almost an interlude, but I'm posting two at once, to make up for it. It's your reviews that are keeping me going, you know. I live for them. Seriously, you all are great.  
  
And just a little bit more conflict before Holly and Company enter the scene. 


	24. 24

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
A/N: There are a few spoilers in this chapter for the Artemis Fowl books (although mostly in my 2nd author's note at the end)  
  
Chapter 24  
  
"That was the stupidest class I've ever been in," Chevalier complained. "I'm annoyed that I was forced to participate in it."  
  
"IF Lockhart brags about his daring exploits--for more details see my published works--one more time. . ."  
  
"I say that now, while Snape's all mellow, we persuade him to poison Lockie."  
  
"And I've been winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award five times in a row," Malfoy imitated his voice and flounce of the head so successfully that the whole class dissolved into laughter. Even Artemis smiled.  
  
"You're lucky he's gone to his office!" Pansy scolded. "You'd be in trouble if he heard you!"  
  
"You remembered my favorite color is lilac, Miss Parkinson! Ten points to Slytherin!" Draco teased her.  
  
Pansy blinked. "His favorite color *is* lilac. You remembered, too." Then she lowered her eyelashes and purred, "Draco, do *you* have a *thing* for our professor?"  
  
"Does he remember Lockart's shoe size, as well? That's the true telling point." Bulstrode pulled on the sleeve of Draco's robes, grinning.  
  
"*No*, I don't. I only remembered the color because of those purple robes he insists on wearing so frequently. Hideous. I never forget bad clothes."  
  
This inspired more laughter. "No." Pansy shook her head. "You don't."  
  
Draco resorted to sticking his tongue out at her.  
  
The Slytherins gathered up their books and began to leave the classroom. Draco judged his time, then quickly stood up, crashing into Fowl in the process, and causing both their bags to spill open.  
  
"So much for being graceful," Zabini threw over his shoulder at him. He grabbed Marie's hand and they disappeared out the door.  
  
Bole started to help, but Artemis waved her on. "It's OK. Go ahead and I'll catch up."  
  
Goyle and Crabbe hesitated by the door. "Go," Draco ordered.  
  
Then the DADA classroom was empty except for the two of them. Artemis put the last of his things in his bag and looked at Draco. "Well? What did you want?"  
  
Draco stood up. "Always so clever, aren't you?"  
  
Artemis stood, as well. "The price of genius."  
  
"You always act so superior about that, but it was just inherited. No big deal."  
  
"The same can be said about you," Artemis replied calmly. "Your money, for example. Your place on the Quidditch team. . ."  
  
"I resent that implication, Fowl."  
  
"You resent a lot of things."  
  
Draco took a deep breath. "Focus," said Fowl's voice in his head. "Don't get overly emotional."  
  
Draco managed to regain his arrogant, sneering expression. "Am I right, though? Are your parents incredibly smart, too?"  
  
Artemis blinked. Actually, they'd never shown any particular sign of genius. He knew for a fact that he was the smartest person he'd come in contact with.  
  
"Or maybe they were imbeciles. You were a fluke."  
  
Artemis narrowed his eyes and remained silent.  
  
"You never have mentioned what your father does for a living. Why is that? Is he too stupid to be employable?" It was spoken in his most insulting drawl, while he exulted in the feeling of revenge. The result was everything he'd hoped for.  
  
Artemis had gone quite, quite still. "He is not stupid. He is a smart man, a great man, and that's all you need to know."  
  
"Then perhaps he's in prison, considering his involvement in the world of crime."  
  
Artemis's face turned hard and cold. "No. He is not a criminal."  
  
"Then why won't you say? Why do you *never* mention him. . ."  
  
"Not everyone drags their father into every sentence the way you do, Malfoy. That's not healthy, you know." His voice was cold, too.  
  
But we don't know *anything,*" Draco continued blithely. "Must be some sort of skeleton in the closet you're ashamed of. . ."  
  
"He's a businessman. I've told people that. . ."  
  
"Not a word about him, not who he is, what he is, where he is. . ."  
  
Artemis's eyes darted away from him. Draco raised an eyebrow. Not much to go on, but. . .  
  
"He's skipped out on you, hasn't he?" He smirked as Artemis's stare snapped back to him, as a flush crept up his cheeks. "Left you and your poor, grieving mother, crying her eyes out at home. Yes? Couldn't stand you anymore?" He laughed. Artemis's whole body was tense, his hands curled into fists, his expression trying to burn him where he stood. "Poor, bereft Artemis Fowl. Father run off without a word. . ."  
  
Artemis swallowed hard, and his jaw clenched. Something flickered in his eyes.  
  
Draco kept pushing. Why wouldn't the other boy just react? It was maddening. "Poor Mrs. Fowl, out of her mind with sorrow. . ."  
  
The desk next to them blew apart. Papers scattered to the ceiling, an empty tea mug shattered, a bottle of ink exploded, and jagged shards and splinters of wood streaked past them. Draco was shielded behind Artemis, who was struck by sharp, wicked pieces--embedding into his arm and side and grazing across his cheek, leaving a bloody track. His eyes never changed from that cold, burning stare.  
  
Draco drew in a breath. He let it out in a rush, feeling suddenly and unaccustomedly ashamed. "Fowl. . ."  
  
Artemis took the two steps separating them until he and Draco were face to face, then leaned in, so he spoke very softly near his ear. "Yes." His voice sounded dead. "He was on a business trip when his ship disappeared somewhere near Russia. He's been missing for a year and a half. My mother took to her bed and went out of her head and didn't even recognize me til this summer, when I finally found a way to cure her by magic. But my father's still missing. Satisfied?"  
  
For some reason, Draco's chest and lungs hurt. "Fowl. . ."  
  
But Artemis swept away, not even seeming to notice he'd been injured.  
  
Draco stared after him, wanting to follow, stop him, and say he hadn't meant it to go that far, to hurt him that bad, he hadn't known it was really true or he never would have said it, he hadn't meant to. . . to make Artemis hate him. But he couldn't move, and then Artemis was gone and it was too late.  
  
Abruptly, he whirled and smashed his fist through an 8 X 10 portrait of Gilderoy Lockhart, the only thing in that corner of the room left undamaged. The painted Lockhart screamed and ducked, but Draco shattered the frame and put a hole through the canvas.  
  
The real Lockhart came stumbling out of his office. "What--what just happened? Are we being invaded?"  
  
"Just--just an accident," Draco told him, rapidly heading for the exit.  
  
"My desk! My picture! What do you mean, an accident?" he cried.  
  
With a covert wave of his wand in passing and a whispered "Alohamora," Draco opened the door of the pixies' cage, and they immediately swarmed out, encircling the Professor, picking up desks, destroying books, and riding a dragon skeleton on the ceiling. In the chaos, Draco escaped out the door. Behind him he heard an enormous crash as the skeleton came loose from the ceiling and hit the floor. He broke into a jog and vanished into a milling crowd of fourth years.  
  
____________ ____________  
  
That had gone wrong, Draco reflected miserably as he headed for the dungeons. That had all gone dreadfully wrong. Abruptly he changed direction and headed for the infirmary. It wasn't like he needed to apologize or anything. After all, it was just another round of insults. Fowl didn't have to take it so personally, even if it was true. He tried to make himself believe that. He tried to pretend like he wasn't going to the hospital wing to check on Fowl, and then he tried to think what he would say to him when he saw him.  
  
He stopped walking, causing a Sixth Year Hufflepuff to almost run into him. "Watch where you're going," he snarled at her, and she flinched and hurried away, but it didn't make him feel better.  
  
Honestly, what was his problem, anyway? He had no reason to feel bad! Fowl was constantly insulting the Malfoy family, so he was only getting what he deserved. It wasn't his fault! It wasn't like he cared about Fowl's well-being, anyway.  
  
He didn't! He didn't even like Fowl.  
  
He turned around, causing another near collision, which he ignored. He was heading up to the roof. He had a secret spot he went to when troubled, through a door Snape had shown him once. He walked out and sat on the battlements of the highest tower of the castle, and tried to think.  
  
____________ ____________  
  
Artemis did eventually realize he was bleeding, and went to get patched up. Madam Pomfrey clucked over him and demanded, "What happened?" even as she began removing splinters.  
  
"Furniture accident in Transfigurations," he lied blandly.  
  
After that, he slowly walked to the courtyard, making sure all his emotions were fully stowed away and he was back in control. He felt quite shaken once he stopped to review what had happened, and quite disgusted with his reaction. It was just Malfoy being insulting again. He'd had no business getting so riled up. Of course, he was still deadly angry and intended to do something fairly permanent to Malfoy. The other Slytherin needed to learn to leave him alone. He didn't want to spend all the rest of his years at Hogwarts with Malfoy bothering him.  
  
He took another deep breath and watched the last flying lesson of the day disperse. He stepped out and approached Madam Hooch. "If I c0nfide in you, will you give me detention?"  
  
She raised her eyebrows and looked at him. "No. Confide away."  
  
"I--I just got angrier at someone than I've ever been in my life. Ever. I'm usually calm and rational, you know that. . ."  
  
"Completely unemotional."  
  
"That, too. But I--I sort of. . ."  
  
"Lost it?"  
  
Artemis grimaced. He had. If he wasn't as troubled about this as he was, he wouldn't even be having this conversation. "I accidentally blew up Lockhart's desk."  
  
"Lockhart? You're safe then. Now if it had been McGonagall. . ."  
  
"But I. . . why did that happen?" He needed information.  
  
She graced him with a gentle smile. "You're 12. You're reaching adolescence. Sometimes, if you're powerful, or if you're new to magic-- which you still are, having had it blocked for so long--strong emotions can make things slip. You're new to emotions, as well, if you want my opinion, which makes it even harder. But I have complete confidence in your rationality, so I don't expect it to happen again."  
  
"I didn't expect it to happen once."  
  
"You're a special case, I think. You're still showing effects from having your magic returned to you. It *was* blocked for five years. Your emotions affect your magic. But in your case, your emotions also react to your magic. It's like shaking a soda bottle and finally taking the cap off. It pours out, making you feel new things. But you're always careful, so you'll be fine."  
  
"So I--shouldn't be worried, then?"  
  
"No, don't worry. . . who were you angry at? I doubt that it was Lockhart."  
  
"Malfoy." The name was spoken with distaste.  
  
"Ah. Another round in the infamous Fowl-Malfoy feud." At his look, she grinned. "I listen to the gossip. Keeps me up to date." Artemis smiled reluctantly. "Was Malfoy impressed?" she asked him.  
  
"No. I imagine he's thrown a lot of tantrums."  
  
Her laugh rang out. "I imagine he has."  
  
____________ _____________  
  
Draco stared down at the view of the Hogwarts grounds spread below him, seeing nothing. He was trying to analyze his feelings, not a usual task for him. He decided if his emotions were always so complex it was no wonder he hardly ever knew what they were.  
  
Finally he had to admit that he felt guilty. He'd gone over the line with Fowl without even realizing what he was doing. The words had come almost on their own, when he scented weakness. It was what he'd been taught to do: find the vulnerable spots, and then go for the kill.  
  
He sighed. The problem was, Fowl wasn't exactly an enemy anymore. Not like Potter. Fowl was Slytherin, he shared a dorm room with him, they'd experienced the Chamber together. It was different. He shouldn't have done what he'd done. But he didn't know how to correct it. To his shock, he realized he was hoping he could find a way to make Fowl forgive and forget. He wanted things to go back to the way they were--how they were when they were good. He wanted to ignore his father and go back to--whatever he and Fowl had had. He wouldn't allow himself to wonder why.  
  
Yet he had to admit, as well, to have Fowl forgive him was unlikely, and to have his father stop watching him--well, it just wouldn't happen. He recognized the feeling of despair, then, spiking into his gut, along with resentment towards his father that burned along his nerves, throughout his whole body. A soft sound of disgust left his lips. This was why he normally shut off his emotions. It only hurt to feel. He had to face facts. There was no way around his father. There was no way around his family name.  
  
But when he tried to cut off his emotions once again, he found that he couldn't. There was only way to stop the pounding in his head, the swirling of his thoughts, the pain in his gut. He used it ruthlessly.  
  
'This is all Fowl's fault, anyway. He's gotten me confused with his endless mind games, made me think things I know aren't true. He's what tainted me. I should have known better than to listen to him. I am a Malfoy. I am a pureblood. I have my pride. Fowl only got what he deserved. He *is* the enemy. And I--I believe everything my father tells me without reservation, because I know it's all true. And it doesn't matter if he is watching me, because I already do what he tells me, because I know it's the only, the correct, the Malfoy way to be.' He took a deep breath. 'So. No reason to want to talk to that half-blood. Staying away from Fowl will be no problem.'  
  
__________ __________  
  
Only excepting, Fowl wasn't staying away from him. It started with the look he got when Fowl returned to the common room, the look that made him freeze in his seat. It seemed to be completely neutral, but there was a gleam behind it that spoke of impending, absolute danger.  
  
They ignored one another the rest of that day, the kind of deliberate silence that made the rest of the group notice, and watch their every move with an uncomfortable tense wariness.  
  
Then that night, when it was time for sleep, Draco pulled back the curtains of his four-poster and then flinched away from his bed. A four-foot snake was rearing up from it, staring at him and hissing menacingly. It was black with red and yellow patterns in rings. He was pretty sure it was poisonous. He stared at it, afraid to move.  
  
The other boys had stopped dead around him, Zabini half-in and half-out of his own bed, Crabbe and Goyle in the middle of changing into pyjamas. Fowl had just come up to lean against his bedpost, arms crossed and smirking.  
  
"What do you do now, Malfoy?" he asked, and Draco instinctively turned towards him as a greater threat than the snake.  
  
"I don't know," he answered, perfectly honest for once.  
  
Artemis smiled, seeming amused, then pulled his Parseltongue recorder from his robe pocket. He pushed a button and a hissing noise issued from it. The snake hesitated a moment, then slithered down off the bed and out of the room.  
  
Draco looked at Fowl, wide-eyed.  
  
Artemis continued to smile. "You shouldn't start things you don't know how to deal with, Malfoy." He went over to his own bed and sat down.  
  
Draco followed him with his eyes.  
  
"Artemis--did you put that snake in Malfoy's bed?" Blaise demanded, looking worried.  
  
"Hmm. . . why would you say that?" Artemis fluffed up his pillows and laid back.  
  
"It's sort of obvious, even to me," Goyle put in.  
  
"Is this a serious fight or a mild one?" Crabbe asked.  
  
"Oh, we're always serious. Good night." Artemis pulled his bed hangings closed.  
  
Blaise bit his lip, then did the same.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle looked at Draco, who was standing and staring at his bed.  
  
"Shall we inspect it for you?" Crabbe offered.  
  
Draco looked up, a strange expression on his face. "No. No, that won't be necessary, but thanks." He lay down impassively, but kept his curtains open all night.  
  
____________ ____________  
  
A/N: I figure I'll be called upon to defend Artemis's loss of emotional control, so I'll go ahead and do it now. Consider these factors: 1) his emotional progression and *capability* of emotional progression throughout his three books 2) his being surrounded by people his own age, who while not nearly as smart, are no pushovers due to their magical skill 3) he still never completely showed true emotion. The explosion was an involuntary outburst (which surprised him--he can be surprised, see Book #3) resulting from the disruption of his magic, as Hooch explained, and emotion 4) I think Artemis does have emotions (he did cry in Book #2, if briefly), he just keeps them extremely suppressed and controlled 5) if you've noticed, their relationship is still rather one-sided. . . Draco wants to be his friend, despite his Malfoy heritage, but Artemis is still in it for gold and glory. 


	25. 25

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 25  
  
It got worse after that.  
  
Draco sabotaged Artemis's cauldron in Potions. Artemis told Granger that sometimes while Draco was sleeping, he sucked his thumb. Draco threw Artemis's trunk out a tower window, and Artemis hexed his broom so it would only fly in circles. This, of course, isn't even taking into account the taunting insults they would sling back and forth at one another.  
  
"This has got to stop!" Goyle cried suddenly at breakfast about a week later. "You two are driving me crazy!"  
  
"And you're not happy," Eva added. "Either one of you."  
  
"Can't you make a truce again?" Crabbe pleaded.  
  
"Malfoy doesn't seem to have learned yet that he should just leave me alone," Artemis replied calmly.  
  
Draco flushed. "Oh, that's what you want, is it?"  
  
"Yes, actually."  
  
"I'm hardly going to leave you alone after you tie-dye all my robes, or try to sic Dugbogs on me in Care of Magical Creatures. . ."  
  
"Actually, that last wasn't me, it was Zabini."  
  
Draco stood up and walked out of the Great Hall, leaving silence, a dismal Crabbe and Goyle, and Artemis wondering briefly if he was doing the right thing. Briefly.  
  
In a shadowy section of corridor, Draco nearly tripped over Ginny Weasley. She was sitting on the floor, legs stretched out in front of her, leaning against the wall, gazing up at a huge portrait. It was of a smiling little girl picking daisies in a field of wildflowers.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy," she said as he stumbled to a halt rather than fall over her legs.  
  
"Weasley." He looked over his shoulder in the direction he had come, then back at her. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I wasn't hungry." She shrugged, then indicated the portrait. "She looks happy, doesn't she? Innocent--carefree. I was like that once."  
  
He smothered a twinge of guilt for the part his father played. "Excuse me, are you confusing me with someone who cares?"  
  
She looked up at him, seemingly unfazed by this comment. "Still fighting with Fowl, are you?"  
  
His neutral, condescending expression changed to a glare. "So what if we are? We're rivals."  
  
"It seems to me, Malfoy, as if you have more enemies than friends."  
  
"Oh yeah? Well, I don't see you surrounded by friends!"  
  
She sighed. "I'm appealing to your Slytherin instincts. Doesn't it make sense to have as many allies as possible?"  
  
"Well, yes, but not just anybody. Malfoys are selective. We only take the best." He'd recovered his sneer.  
  
"Oh? Then how do you explain Crabbe and Goyle?"  
  
"Hey, don't insult them! You don't even know them!"  
  
To his surprise, Ginny looked contrite. "You're right, I'm sorry."  
  
He stared at her in shock.  
  
"Here's another question, then," she continued. "What about Hermione? Clearly, she's an excellent witch, and very smart. Wouldn't she seem like a good ally? And yet, you write her off just because she's Muggle-born."  
  
"You're as bad as Fowl." He scowled.  
  
"Fowl--he's a Slytherin, and rich, and a genius. He killed the Basilisk, and told you how to kill Riddle, but you shun him, too, because he's not a pureblood."  
  
"Shut up! I'm not listening to you!"  
  
"Maybe I should be grateful. If Riddle wasn't a half-blood, you might not have burnt the diary."  
  
He was breathing fast, and his stomach hurt. He felt very, very tired. "I have my father to think of," he mumbled, before he could take the words back.  
  
"Ah, of course." She moved her legs at last, pulling her knees up to her chest, clearing the passageway in front of him. "You know, I bet Fowl would have a few ideas on how to handle that. He seems to be good at strategy."  
  
He couldn't bear to meet her eyes any longer; he'd spent enough time pinned in her gaze. He strode away. She had already turned back to the painting.  
  
Artemis found himself outmaneuvered by Goyle and Crabbe. They had cornered him in the boys' dormitory--literally. They were blocking his path with their combined bulk and he couldn't get around them. He'd tried putting them off with words, but they'd stubbornly ignored everything he said.  
  
"All right!" he conceded finally. "I'm listening!"  
  
"Everybody wants you and Draco to declare a truce. Your group and his group both. It's just the two of you that need convincing," Goyle told him seriously.  
  
"So we intend to convince you," Crabbe said.  
  
Artemis sighed. Perhaps things were getting out of hand. His deep and righteous anger had only lasted a few hours after the initial argument. Really, he'd been angrier at his own lack of control than Malfoy's comments. Malfoy's fear of whatever his father had written to him, along with his basic personality--he was an irritating, arrogant git--had pushed the other boy over the edge. But he should be used to Malfoy's personality by now, used to dealing with him. Even if the blonde boy had hit on a-- well, a sensitive subject, he should have been able to prevent himself from reacting as he did. He had said he wasn't going to lose his self-control again. He couldn't keep getting upset when Malfoy lived up to his expected irritatingness. The blonde had just been fishing for reactions, Artemis had known that, and still let himself become emotional. It was deplorable.  
  
But since he'd already vowed that wouldn't happen again, he supposed he could let it go and forgive Malfoy. Returning to the old status-quo relationship would be in his own interests. He liked the other Second Years acting calmly; it kept his own affairs running more smoothly. It gave him more room to act and fewer problems to distract him. He'd proven to Malfoy that he was dangerous when insulted. That was good enough for now.  
  
"I might be willing," Artemis answered finally, "if he is. Let him make the first move." Let him appease me, he thought.  
  
"We want you two to make up," Crabbe told Draco. They'd caught him coming off the Quidditch pitch.  
  
He balanced his newly de-hexed broom over his shoulder. "Enemies never truly 'make up.'"  
  
"Call it another truce, then. Like the one over Christmas hols. Wasn't that nice?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't think he'd go for it," Draco replied.  
  
"He will. We already asked," Crabbe confessed.  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows. "Did you now?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"What happened to all your pureblooded supremacy, anyway?" he demanded, somewhere between amazed and annoyed.  
  
Goyle shrugged. "I know what our fathers say. . ." He looked down, shuffled his feet, looked back up. "I think they may have a few flaws in their beliefs."  
  
Draco just stared at him for a moment. "You--you do?" When Goyle nodded again, Draco turned to Crabbe. "And you?"  
  
"I--I don't know," Crabbe admitted. "But--well, the thing is, there are Muggle-born, and then there's Artemis Fowl. I don't think the normal rules apply to him."  
  
"Hn." Draco studied them both intently for a long while, then he sighed, and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Well, Father feels Fowl is beneath me. I'm not to associate with him."  
  
"But, Draco," Crabbe pleaded, "what do you think?"  
  
And just that simply, all his rationales and defenses crashed down again. Think for yourself. . .  
  
"I know what I want," he said.  
  
Eva entered the Common Room with Malfoy's owl on her arm. She walked up to Artemis. "There's a message for you."  
  
Artemis untied the parchment warily, eyeing it as if it might explode.  
  
Eva scratched the owl's head. "What's Malfoy want now?"  
  
Artemis cast a spell on the letter to see if it was cursed in any way, then he opened it. Inside the letter was another letter, which he started to read first. It was in a bold, precise hand. "Draco, I have been hearing disturbing things about you. . ." It was the note to Malfoy from his father.  
  
Artemis's eyes widened fractionally and he folded it up quickly. "I'll be in the dorm room."  
  
Eva frowned. "Something's going on and you're not telling anyone. Again."  
  
"Oh, it's just the same old stuff. I'll talk to you later." He headed for the stairs.  
  
"Artemis!"  
  
He looked back. Bole's hands were on her hips. "If there's going to be trouble, you will let us know, understand?"  
  
Artemis half-smiled, amused. "When do I get into trouble?" He vanished down the steps before she could answer.  
  
Artemis sat on a desk chair and read through Lucius's letter. Then he turned to Draco's.  
  
"Fowl, this isn't an apology, because Malfoys don't apologize. Nor is this sympathy, because Malfoys don't care. It isn't like you need pity anyway; clearly your scheming, diabolical mind hasn't been affected by anything I've said or done.  
  
"That fight that started all this--it was just another battle, another round in our rivalry, nothing personal. We provoke each other and go on, just like normal. Except things aren't exactly normal right now. I think it's time to stop messing with each other. I don't even want to be tormenting you. I have other things to worry about right now, as you can see from the other letter.  
  
"Another thing Malfoys don't do is ask for help. They don't talk to Muggle- borns, either. But I've decided to break with a few Malfoy conventions.  
  
"This brings me back to you. You're a genius, so you say--often. I'm admitting--and on paper, too--that I have seen evidence of your intelligence. I'm willing to deal. The question is, are you?"  
  
Artemis folded up the letters again, then stared into the distance, frowning slightly. Well, here was a new twist on things. He'd reconciled himself to stop terrorizing Malfoy, and had been planning on just ignoring him the rest of the school year. But now, he had Malfoy's letter, asking him for help without asking. His first inclination was to refuse. Why should he put himself out to help Malfoy? After all, he didn't even like Malfoy. In fact, he could barely even tolerate Malfoy.  
  
Right? Right, of course.  
  
However, he did have an underlying motive. And maybe it had just been waiting for a chance like this. As soon as he'd traced Riddle's genealogy, and learned Salazar Slytherin was related to Rosebud Root, who was related to Theodore Maximus, he'd known it would come up sometime. Because Maximus was also related to Rowena Ravenclaw and Septimus Maximus Malfoy, and the message in the Chamber of Secrets had read, "Crushed to a fine powder. Next site: Malfoy Manor." That family had been around for a long time.  
  
He hadn't been planning on getting Draco's assistance, but it would be an easier way into the Manor. Especially as he strongly suspected it was extremely well warded in addition to being unplottable.  
  
Very well, if Malfoy wanted to deal, he was willing.  
  
The fact that Artemis felt suddenly and strangely more light hearted over the idea of going back to the way things were could obviously be explained away. He had a brief moment of panic. . . but, no. He checked: basic ruthlessness still intact, lack of ethics in place, lack of respect for anyone less intelligent--ie, everyone, and strong personal ambition. His complete disregard for others must have wavered briefly, but he vowed to get it back in line.  
  
The door opened and Draco walked in. He paused just for a fraction, then strode over and sat down on the neighboring desk. Their gazes met and locked. For a long moment, they just regarded one another.  
  
Then Draco stuck his hands in his pockets, swallowed hard, and said in a rush, jarbled enough it took Artemis a second to realize what he'd said, "I didn't know, you know."  
  
Artemis nodded. "I know."  
  
Another silence while Draco frantically tried to remember what he'd planned to say.  
  
Artemis spoke first. "You're right. It was just another fight. We should be able to move on from that, and re-establish our working relationship."  
  
Draco's eyes went wide. "Yes. So. . . we establish our truce. We're OK?"  
  
"OK as in--before?"  
  
"That's it exactly! Before."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Draco silently rejoiced. "Slytherins always deal," he said with a hint of a smirk.  
  
Artemis nodded. "We are Slytherin."  
  
Draco took a deep breath, then released it. "What about. . . the rest of it?"  
  
"Your problem? We can find a way around that. There are ways to conceal one's actions. Do you know how he watches you? Is it through magic? Spies?"  
  
"I don't know. Probably both."  
  
"I have learned a number of spells one can use specifically to tell if someone is watching you through magic, and to counter-act it. I'll teach them to you. As for spies, well, we simply discover their identities and convince them to work for you, not against you. They can't stop providing information all together, but we can make them say what we want them to say."  
  
Draco nodded slowly. "What do you want in return for all this?"  
  
"A favor for a favor."  
  
"Specifics, Fowl."  
  
Artemis gave him a look that made his nerves kick in and his stomach drop. He knew immediately that he wasn't going to like it.  
  
"I want to visit Malfoy Manor."  
  
It took a moment for this to sink in, then Draco jumped to his feet. "What? You read his letter--are you bloody well out of your bloody mind?"  
  
Artemis wondered what Lucius would do to him that made him so afraid. "We'll go when he's not home, of course."  
  
"What if he's watching and listening right now?"  
  
"He's not. I warded this dorm room my first day here."  
  
"But what do you want at our manor?"  
  
"There's something there that I want to see."  
  
"Fowl, you can't go prying around in my father's business. Genius or not, he'd find you out. He finds out everything. And then he'll kill you."  
  
"He won't find out. Trust me."  
  
"Fowl. . ."  
  
"I took out his boss. Riddle."  
  
"Oh, so now you're saying my father is a Death Eater?"  
  
"Malfoy. I know he is." It was said gently, with supreme conviction.  
  
Draco's breathing sounded very loud in his own ears. He refrained from screaming with difficulty. OK, so everybody suspected, but this. . . Fowl sounded as if he knew. He wasn't surprised somehow, but he wasn't sure what to do now.  
  
"My father is a dangerous man," Draco said carefully. "You think you can beat him?" Artemis nodded. Draco wished he could believe him.  
  
He ran one hand through his hair. "Look, Fowl, no matter what his crimes may or may not be, he's my father. I can't let you go snooping around in his private stuff. He's my father. Just because I--I don't want him watching me and I--may want to keep talking to certain people doesn't mean I'll let you do anything that might hurt him."  
  
Artemis stored this information away. "Relax. My desire to see Malfoy Manor has nothing to do with your father, actually. I won't be looking at anything but the walls."  
  
"You have an interest in architecture now? Is this like your interest in languages?"  
  
"Very like. Somebody left a secret message in a carving on a wall, I suspect in the dungeon. I want to read it. And you wouldn't understand it, so don't bother looking without me."  
  
"I'm hardly likely to. I don't like our dungeons. Fowl. . . you're sure about this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you're sure you can take care of my situation?"  
  
"I'll take care of the spies, Malfoy, and I'll manage your father. Don't worry."  
  
Draco couldn't believe he was letting Fowl talk him into this. "OK then. OK."  
  
"Deal?"  
  
"Deal. Swear on our wands, I think."  
  
Artemis half-smiled. "Good idea."  
  
They both took their wands out and held them up in front of them. Swearing on your wand was a binding promise. If you broke your word, your wand would break in two--and there was the chance you could lose your magic permanently. The odds were slim, but neither boy wanted to risk it.  
  
"All right. I swear if you help me out with my father, I'll take you to the Manor."  
  
"I swear that I'll help you with your father, providing you'll take me to Malfoy Manor.  
  
Their wands glowed brightly for a moment. Glittering sparks cascaded around them. Then with a final brilliant flare, the light faded out.  
  
Their eyes had locked once again. "So then, Fowl, what's the plan?"  
  
A/N: Wow, you guys are great! I wouldn't have needed to explain at all? I'm glad you feel everyone is in character. I hope I'm moving the plot along and going places you like. I was going to drag their fighting out longer but I just wanted to get to the making up. I predict Holly's appearance in Ch. 27. 


	26. 26

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
A/N: I had the next part typed and ready to be downloaded when my computer crashed with (drum roll) 67 worms, and I had to wipe the hard drive as well as download the worm fixer-upper patches. So I have spent some time frustrated and depressed as I mourn my lost files, of which there are many. At any rate, here is this chapter at last.  
  
Chapter 26  
  
The plan was set to begin Thursday morning. In the meantime, there were Wednesday classes to get through. Lockhart was standing at the front of the class, flashing his "most charming" smile. On a table next to him he had a small covered cage. He reached over and pulled off the cloth. Inside was a fat, fluffy bird, peacefully asleep.  
  
"This is a Diricawl!" Lockhart announced. "It's a bird--but it can't fly. Muggles call it a dodo; they wrongly think that it's extinct. It can vanish in a puff of feathers and reappear elsewhere. Unless you--ha ha--cleverly cast a Somnulus on it, so it will stay in one place."  
  
At that exact instant, its eyes opened as the Diricawl woke up. It took one look around, panicked, and disappeared (in a puff of feathers) and popped back into existence on Lockhart's head.  
  
The entire class (except, of course, Artemis) burst out laughing. Lockhart's smile turned a bit sickly. "Now, now, not to worry. They can be captured again." His hand shot up but the bird had already vanished and he only ended up slapping himself on the head.  
  
The bird reappeared on Millicent's desk. She leaned backward and waved her hand at it. "Shoo, go away!"  
  
"Vince, Greg," Draco instructed lazily, "help the professor catch the poor thing."  
  
They stared at him blankly. He winked. "Oh," said Crabbe, grinning. "Sure."  
  
He jumped up and started chasing it, intent only on creating more havoc in the name of "helping." Goyle caught on at once and joined him. The Diricawl began transporting itself all around the room in bursts and pops. The Slytherins were laughing helplessly. Fowl was smirking. Lockhart was whining.  
  
Then the bird teleported itself on top of three precariously stacked crates, knocking them over. The lids came off and the slumbering creatures inside woke up and began to move around.  
  
"What--?" Marie began, clutching onto Blaise's arm as dozens of small blue bodies rose into the air. They were half-an-inch long, a vivid sapphire, with wings on top their heads and a long thin sting at the bottom. They hovered for a moment, then, so fast the eye could hardly follow, their wings began to rotate, and they began to spin.  
  
"Billywigs!" Zabini exclaimed. "Oh no!"  
  
Then the Billywigs were flying all over the room, amongst the students, like a swarm of gnats. The first one stung was Pansy, who made the mistake of swatting at them. She suddenly started to giggle, and after a few seconds, began to float upwards towards the ceiling.  
  
"Pansy, too bad you aren't wearing your lilac-colored knickers," Draco called up to her.  
  
"Malfoy!" all the girls yelled at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"No problem, not to worry, I'll get you down in a jiffy," Lockhart exclaimed.  
  
"Uh oh," Zabini muttered as Eva covered her eyes.  
  
Bulstrode looked horrified. "Sir, that may be a bad idea," she started to say, but Lockhart ignored her, raising his wand and squinting up at Pansy.  
  
"Ouch!" Everyone turned to look at Crabbe, who now had a strange, giddy expression on his face. "Uh oh," Zabini said again as Crabbe rose into the air.  
  
Then Eva was giggling madly and rising upward, and then Goyle. "Oh, you've all come to join me!" Parkinson cried happily. She grabbed Greg's hands and spun them around in a circle.  
  
"You'll make him sick," Draco loudly advised her, and the students moved as one away from underneath the dancing duo. Draco grinned, quite enjoying himself.  
  
Not to be outdone, Crabbe pulled Eva into a dance.  
  
"Eva, you're no fun!" Draco yelled in disappointment as the girl gathered her skirts around her to prevent Draco from peeking at her knickers while she twirled.  
  
"They're white," Pansy told on her, still giggling, "with orange flowers."  
  
"Parkinson!" Eva shrieked, momentarily stopping her spinning.  
  
Draco started snickering. The Diricawl chose that moment to appear on his shoulder. He automatically dove sideways out of his seat, knocking against a set of shelves containing piles of papers. The shelf tilted and crashed and papers rained down around him.  
  
"Afraid of a bird, Malfoy?" Fowl smirked at him as papers floated down and settled on Draco's head and lap.  
  
"Seeker's reflexes. Maybe a bit of paranoia." Draco shrugged, unconcerned. He brushed the papers off himself and started to stand up when one piece of parchment in particular caught his eye. He picked it up and stared at it. The first few sentences were in his father's handwriting.  
  
"Lockhart," it read, "how are you progressing on your research? You know I am not a patient man. I suggest you have good news for me--soon."  
  
Attached to this was another parchment, in Lockhart's hand. "Copy of my reply to LM:  
  
"It is good news, indeed. What follows is a summarization of what I have discovered so far. . ." Draco glanced around, saw that no one was watching him, and stuffed the whole thing in his robe pocket.  
  
The rest of the class were watching Zabini, who was hanging onto his desk to keep from floating away, although this caused him to turn upside down. "Why do I even come to this class?" he was complaining.  
  
"At least you're wearing trousers!" Eva yelled down to him.  
  
"Lockhart is so incompetent," Chevalier sighed.  
  
"Shall I go get Prof. Snape?" Millicent asked their DADA instructor.  
  
Lockhart blinked, seeming to come out of a daze. "What? Why would you do that, silly girl? You have me!" He cleared his throat, waved his wand again- -everyone ducked, and Zabini screwed his eyes shut. "Oppositum Leviosa!"  
  
The afflicted students all slowly levitated back down. "It's a miracle!" Eva exclaimed as her feet touched the floor. The class exchanged incredulous looks.  
  
"Accio Diricawl!" The bird squawked and popped into existence at Lockhart's feet. "Somnulus." It fell asleep again and he put it back in the cage.  
  
"Maybe we're mass hallucinating," suggested Blaise.  
  
"Maybe he's just been having a bad year up til now." Pansy gazed at the professor with something like her old adoration.  
  
"Maybe he's an imposter." Crabbe regarded him suspiciously.  
  
"Class dismissed," Lockhart announced. "I shall deal with these pesky Billywigs."  
  
Somewhat dazed, the class gathered their things and left.  
  
"Well, that was strange," Marie commented.  
  
The day passed without further incident. Bright and early Thursday morning, Draco slipped into a room near the Potions lab. Artemis was already there, re-reading a book called "Auror Training, vol. 4, Advanced Tracking Charms."  
  
Artemis pointed at page 79. "This is the spell we're going to use to find the spies."  
  
"What does it do?"  
  
"It will cause the person watching you to radiate with a magical glow only observable to the caster of the spell. I propose we cast it and then stake out the entrance to the Great Hall. Eventually everyone in the school will go through those doors and into breakfast. We observe everyone and see who glows. Then we'll speak to them individually and convince them that being a spy is a risky occupation."  
  
"Sounds good. Are you sure you blocked all of the magical means of spying on me already?"  
  
"Positive. I've cast all those same charms on myself as well. I imagine Lucius and Fudge are both feeling thoroughly frustrated right now. Of course, the beauty of these spells is that the interference seems natural, and not as if a person is deliberately blocking them."  
  
"Well, let's get on with it then."  
  
"We'll both cast the spell. That way if one of us misses something, the other should notice."  
  
They proceeded to do so. It was complicated, but both boys were very good at magic.  
  
"Shall we see if it worked?" Artemis asked.  
  
"One thing first. . . remember in History of Magic, when you asked about leprechauns? You were amused by Binns's answer. You got that 'I know something you don't' expression. Was there a reason?"  
  
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "You think you can tell when I know something, Malfoy?"  
  
Draco smirked, feeling a bit superior and quite proud of himself. "Yes, Fowl. Know your enemy, right? I've been watching you for quite some time now, and I think I know you fairly well. Oh, mostly you're still a mystery-- you're a very complicated human being. But still. . . I get insights, sometimes."  
  
Artemis frowned. He'd have to work on that. It made him feel very vulnerable and exposed.  
  
"But that's not the point," Draco continued. "What about my question?"  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
Draco hesitated, then pulled a rolled-up parchment out of his pocket. "Lockhart and my father seem to be studying them."  
  
Artemis's eyebrows shot up. Draco held out the paper and he took it. Artemis started reading, "Leprechauns are a breed of fairy with powerful magic. They can grant wishes, heal, kill, cast glamours, and use Muggle weapons and technology. Their magic is drained after repeated use. It may be possible to steal their magic and channel it into YKW to return him back to full life. . ." He looked at Draco. "YKW, I'm assuming, means You-Know- Who." Draco nodded and he resumed reading. "They are known to frequent places of strong magic, locales of ancient legend, i.e. Tara, the Isle of Glass, the Giant's Dance. If you can avoid their glamour, it should be possible to catch one."  
  
Draco took a step closer. "What do you think?"  
  
"Where did you get this?"  
  
"Out of that pile of papers that fell on me in the DADA room. It appears to be a copy of research notes that Lockhart sent my father."  
  
"Do you know if they've actually caught one?"  
  
Was it his imagination, or did Fowl's voice seem tenser than normal? "How would I know? It's not like my father tells me anything, and I haven't been home."  
  
"Keep this quiet for the moment. I need to think about this."  
  
"But is it true? What Lockhart says about leprechauns--is he right?"  
  
Artemis held a mental debate, weighing all the consequences and relative personal gains. "You can't tell anyone about this, Malfoy. It would be very dangerous for you, so promise."  
  
"I promise."  
  
"Yes, it's true. They're very powerful fairies. They've kept their race secret from humans for centuries. That's one of their main priorities, in fact. They wouldn't be happy about this."  
  
"Understandable." Malfoy looked thoughtful.  
  
"Anyway, I'll deal with that later. Right now, let's go watch the Great Hall."  
  
There were two spies, a Third Year boy from Slytherin and a Sixth Year girl in Ravenclaw. "Lance Donnelon," Draco identified them, "and Charity Cobalt."  
  
"Very well. The next step is to learn about our informants in order to better persuade them."  
  
Draco smirked. "You mean find out their dirty secrets so we can blackmail them, don't you?"  
  
"It's all in the phrasing, Malfoy."  
  
That afternoon, Artemis e-mailed his bodyguard. "Dear Butler, I need you to find out why these two students are following Lucius Malfoy's orders. Dig up as much information on them as you can. The dirtier the better. One other thing--Lucius is apparently going to try to kidnap a LEP Recon and drain their magic to reanimate Voldemort."  
  
Friday, Butler and Artemis conversed via Instant Messenger. "Dear Artemis, From all I've heard Voldemort alive again would be a bad thing. Plus, we owe the fairies something. We can't ignore this."  
  
"Butler, we don't owe them anything. I returned Miss Root safely. Don't forget, they did let a troll loose in my house that nearly killed you."  
  
"True, but Holly healed me."  
  
"She only healed you because she didn't want the troll to eat her, too."  
  
"We can at least let them know."  
  
"That may be possible. What about my names?"  
  
"Cobalt is being bribed and Donnelon is being blackmailed."  
  
Draco threw his bag under the table and sat down next to Artemis. "I ran into Virginia Weasley in the library. She tried to give me a message for you, but I told her I don't talk to you voluntarily."  
  
Artemis frowned. "I wonder what she wanted."  
  
"She wanted to tell you that Granger is absolutely crazy over you."  
  
Artemis looked at him in complete shock. "What?"  
  
"Well, OK, she didn't actually say that. . ."  
  
"Malfoy, you prat!"  
  
"But I think you two are perfect for each other. Both utter nerds. You should make a move."  
  
"I'm not interested in Granger," Artemis said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Fine. Go after Eva. She's been eyeing you all year."  
  
"I have no romantic interests. Now shut up."  
  
"You're dead boring. But never mind, don't you want to hear what Weasley actually said?" He continued right on without waiting for an answer. "She met some Ravenclaw she wants you to beat at chess. She wants to bet money on it, I think."  
  
Artemis blinked, then shook his head, not sure whether to believe him. "Why don't we discuss the reason we're here?"  
  
"OK, fine. Tell me about Donnelon and Cobalt."  
  
"Lucius has said he can get a proposal through the Ministry that will greatly relax regulations on magical experimentation, specifically on human subjects. Once that's done, he'll see Cobalt receives a very nice Ministry grant that will basically let her do whatever research she wants for the next dozen years. Cobalt wants to study a rather dark form of blood magic."  
  
Draco's eyes were wide. "Does she, now? Remind me not to be in a room alone with her."  
  
"It's alright, you have Crabbe and Goyle. Donnelon, on the other hand, is being blackmailed. His brother apparently likes to commit magical arson against Muggles. He's due on trial before the Wizengamot in June. Lucius can affect the verdict. William Donnelon can be released on parole to do community service or be thrown into Azkaban for life."  
  
"I see. Very well, what do we do next?"  
  
"As we mentioned before, we don't want them to completely stop reporting to your father or he'll just try something else. We want them to feed him false information. So. . ."  
  
They pulled Donnelon aside first. They got him alone in his dorm room and locked the door.  
  
"Look, I'd like to help you out, Draco, really I would, but I can't do anything that would jeopardize my brother."  
  
"He'd only be in danger if you were discovered to be lying. We don't intend for that to happen."  
  
"But. . ."  
  
"Discovery wouldn't exactly be in my best interests, either," Draco pointed out. "We'll take care of you."  
  
"Yeah, but you guys, he's my brother." Donnelon looked at them plaintively. "Granted, he's a bigoted bully, but he's always been mostly nice to me."  
  
"Relax," Artemis commanded. "Lucius is a powerful man, certainly, but you seem to have forgotten who I am. I have enough money to bribe a jury, and Fudge owes me for certain things. So does Dumbledore, come to that; I did kill the basilisk. Trust me."  
  
Slytherins are not trusting people, but such was the power of Artemis Fowl's presence that Donnelon found himself believing. "Well. . . if you're sure. . . all right then."  
  
"Very good. I'll work out with you later what kind of information you will tell him. Now, swear on your wand."  
  
He did.  
  
They went after Cobalt next. They cornered her on an empty stairway. She gave them a look of amused superiority.  
  
"Hello, Cobalt," Draco greeted her, deliberately stopping two steps above her for the height advantage.  
  
"Why, Draco Malfoy," she returned, "with Artemis Fowl. What a surprise."  
  
"You can drop the innocent act," Artemis said dryly. "We know you're spying on Malfoy."  
  
She shrugged. She met Draco's eyes coldly, as if she was looking at a dissected flobberworm under glass. "I don't know where you got that idea."  
  
"Here's the thing," Draco told her, ignoring this. "From now on, you're only going to tell my father what I want you to. You'll still get his promised reward."  
  
"You're young and foolish," she laughed. "Why would I do as you propose?"  
  
"Because, my dear, we know all about your little forays into the Dark Arts in the West Tower."  
  
Her smile disappeared. "That's preposterous!"  
  
"Oh, we have proof," Artemis assured her. "You like blood magic, don't you? And practicing the Cruciatus Curse--where did you get all those gerbils, anyway?"  
  
"You could be more than expelled, you could be arrested." Draco crossed his arms, expression smug.  
  
Cobalt stood staring up at them, nostrils flaring as she took in deep, angry breaths. Her eyes were full of hate. "You would dare? I could hex you to oblivion, right now!"  
  
"You could try," Artemis said, stepping around from where he'd been standing partially concealed behind Malfoy. "But as I'm already holding my wand," he raised it to point at her, "and you're not. . . I would advise you not to be stupid. You're not a stupid girl, not really. You can see where your best interests lie. Just do us this one small thing. Lucius will believe what you tell him, so you'll still get your Ministry grant. It's a win-win situation."  
  
They stood, no one moving as the tension built. Finally Cobalt let out all her breath in one huff. "Fine!"  
  
Draco smirked. "Fine. Now swear on your wand."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Hey, we're not stupid, either."  
  
She gnashed her teeth, shifted about, but eventually gave in.  
  
After she'd gone, Draco turned to Fowl and grinned. "Success."  
  
Fowl smirked at him and Draco didn't even mind. "Of course."  
  
A/N2: To everybody reading Blood to Gold, my other HP/AF crossover (that includes you, Very evil daughter of Lord Vol): I will not abandon you forever. But this story was so much fun, I decided to finish it first. Once I start a Third Year sequel to this, though, I'm going back to working on that, as it is set in Third Year, too. So do not lose hope!  
  
A/N3: Thank you, oh my wonderful reviewers! I'd give you all a cookie, but the worms ate them. Would you be happy with a message instead?  
  
jeweljade: Holly will be mainly appearing to Artemis and Draco, but who knows who else may pop up. . .  
  
Lunaceress, P. D. Yerf, Mikito: Holly will show herself in Ch 27, as predicted. Your patience will be rewarded.  
  
Lildvlpup, Cazamataz, moonlight2, Nallasariel the Weeper (me no speak French), Lyn/Lin, flamin: I'm glad you like!  
  
V0xLoS: Indeed, you must read Mr. Eoin Colfer's magnificent Artemis Fowl books. Let us all bow to the master. Um. Yes. Anyway, there will be no realizations of romance in this, the story of their Second Year, but as they get older, in other words, IN MY SEQUELS, expect to find some.  
  
LeggoMyLegolas40: Trouble is coming indeed. Insert manical laughter. Have I mentioned I like your screen name?  
  
deFox: Thanks! Yes, sequels are planned, and Year Three is in the works. And yes, Artemis still has a ways to go to find his alchemical formula. . .  
  
Earthborne: No, he wouldn't expect anyone else to understand his plans, or be able to do anything about it even if they did. And he always has underlying reasons. . .  
  
Celadrian: Trouble is coming indeed. Insert manical laughter.  
  
Zsych: I think Artemis is aware the philosopher's stone has been destroyed, and he doesn't want Dumbledore to be involved in any of his admittedly evil plans--he might try and stop them. I am going to attempt a fic that will make Third Year interesting. As for creating a band of his own followers, well. . . you know what. . . I kind of like that idea. . .  
  
Very evil daughter of Lord Vol: That is my hope too. The only dance of joy I know is the one that Snoopy does.  
  
The CheezHead: Yeah, where were you? Just kidding. I'm glad you like!  
  
JealousAlmonds: Secret deals are fun!  
  
ashes2ashes: Evil on a field trip brings all kinds of images to mind. It could be its own parody. Dozens of chapters.  
  
DarkFire180: Thanks. I will finish my Yu Yu Hakusho/DBZ crossover after this one is done, I think.  
  
LadyDeath1: Thanks!  
  
A/N4: In case inquiring minds want to know, Pansy's knickers were striped, pink and sky blue. Draco said they should have been lilac because that is Lockhart's favorite color, remember. Naughty Draco! 


	27. 27 Holly

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 27: Holly  
  
After she the Ravenclaw had gone, Draco turned to Fowl and grinned. "Success."  
  
Fowl smirked at him and Draco didn't even mind. "Of course."  
  
They started walking down the stairs, side by side. Draco was so elated it was hard not to show it, but then he remembered what else he had meant to tell Fowl that day.  
  
"Fowl. . . Lockhart did it. He captured a leprechaun. It's in the family dungeons."  
  
Artemis looked at him sharply. "How do you know?"  
  
Draco snorted. "You're not the only one who has sources and knows how to sneak around." He watched Artemis think for a minute. "What are you going to do with this information?"  
  
"You remember me telling you these fairies have kept their identity secret for hundreds of years. However, I discovered their existence and. . . chanced to conduct some business with them."  
  
"Some business."  
  
Artemis nodded.  
  
"What kind of business, Fowl?"  
  
Artemis sighed, again deciding how much to tell Malfoy. He'd already been sure that if a fairy was captured it would be held at Malfoy Manor. That's why he'd told him as much as he already had. But it wouldn't hurt to share a few more details.  
  
"I kidnapped a LEP Recon officer and held her for ransom for the gold."  
  
Draco stopped walking. "You did."  
  
Artemis stopped, too. "I went into negotiations with the police commander, who let a troll loose in the manor, but Butler disposed of it. You've heard that story. Finally, they were forced to pay me, so I let her go. My plan now is to contact her and tell her I have information on this new, abducted officer."  
  
"You better start your message with, 'I didn't do it this time.'"  
  
Artemis half-grimaced. "It won't be that bad."  
  
"Right. Fowl, I suspect she's not going to be happy to hear from you."  
  
"True. . . but she'll want the news. We'll come to some sort of agreement."  
  
Draco laughed. "Only you, Fowl."  
  
Artemis shrugged and began to resume walking, but Malfoy grabbed his arm, suddenly quite serious. "Wait. She has to promise not to hurt my father. No, I mean it, Fowl. I'm the one who told you about all this in the first place. She has to promise."  
  
"Fine. Let me briefly borrow Dobby and I'll tell Holly not to hurt your father."  
  
They regarded each other for a moment. "OK," Draco nodded finally.  
  
Artemis and Draco were serving detention in Greenhouse Three due to a fight they'd had before resuming their truce, involving flesh-eating cacti and several innocent Hufflepuff bystanders. Half-way through, Dobby suddenly appeared next to a large fern. He looked somewhat apprehensive as he bowed to Draco. "Young master, I got your summons."  
  
"Yes, I assumed." He pointed a muddy finger at Fowl. "He wants to talk to you."  
  
"Hello, Dobby. I'm a--friend of Harry Potter. He said you'd be the one to ask to help us with a problem we have," Artemis lied easily.  
  
Dobby immediately perked up, puffing out his chest with pride. "Harry Potter is a great person, sir! Dobby would be honored to help a friend of Harry Potter!" Draco grimaced.  
  
"Yes. Now then, you're a house elf."  
  
Draco nudged him. "That's pretty obvious, Fowl."  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy."  
  
"You're Artemis Fowl, sir?" Dobby's eyes widened.  
  
"He is. You can't tell Father you've talked to him. You can't tell either of my parents about any of this."  
  
Dobby shifted from foot to foot nervously. "But. . ."  
  
"I know, so it's OK." Draco crossed his arms and leaned back against the table.  
  
That was enough for Dobby, who had no desire to converse with Draco's parents about anything. "Very good, sir!"  
  
"Dobby." Artemis regained the elf's attention. "The point is, you're a fairy, and have fairy connections. What I need is for you to contact a LEP Recon I know."  
  
"A leprechaun. Yes, sir."  
  
Artemis shook his head. "I mean a real LEP Recon, a member of the police force."  
  
Dobby commenced looking wide-eyed and nervous again. "How--how do you-- know?"  
  
"That's not important." Artemis waved it away. "Her name is Captain Holly Short. She needs to know that someone else has discovered their identity. I can give her all the details if she comes to see me at Hogwarts."  
  
"Yes, sir! I'll go see her right away, sir."  
  
"Go on then," Draco ordered. Dobby bowed to him one more time and then popped out of sight.  
  
"You're going to let me know when this Holly person gets in touch with you, right, Fowl?"  
  
"Of course. I rather think she's going to want to talk to you, anyway."  
  
It took two days of searching unsuccessfully for their missing policeman before Commander Root gave in and ordered Capt. Holly Short to go talk to Artemis Fowl.  
  
"You can't be serious!" she exploded. "I still think he's in on it!"  
  
"We've searched Hogwarts. We need his cooperation."  
  
"I have to object. . ."  
  
"We all know how you feel about Fowl, Captain. Do you think I like this-- crawling to the Mud Boy for help? I'd rather swallow live stink worms. But the life of an officer is at stake here, so you need to overcome your personal problems with him."  
  
Holly did not like this one bit. "He was dangerous before he had magic. What is he capable of now?"  
  
"He doesn't have Butler with him," put in Foaly, who'd been eavesdropping from the corner.  
  
Holly gave a sudden vicious smile. "That's true. One punch and I could. . ."  
  
"Don't bruise him, Captain. We do want his information, after all. He needs to be conscious to talk."  
  
Artemis was walking back to the castle with his fellow Slytherins after a Care for Magical Creatures class, when a small pebble hit him in the shoulder. Hard. He looked around and spotted Holly hiding in the bushes and beckoning to him.  
  
Artemis stopped and made up an excuse. "Oh, I forgot my book back there. I'll catch up to you."  
  
"Don't be long," Zabini replied. "You'll miss lunch."  
  
Artemis nodded and reached into his robe pocket. He produced a pair of mirrored sunglasses and slipped them on. Then he turned and walked over behind the bush. "Hello, Capt. Short."  
  
"Hello, Mud Boy. Tell me what you know."  
  
"What, no pleasantries?"  
  
Holly glared at him. "You're lucky I don't have a gun to your head! I see no reason to show you any more courtesy than that."  
  
"Still bitter, Capt. Short? Can't we wipe the slate clean?"  
  
"Kidnapping. Actual bodily harm, extortion, conspiracy to commit murder. That's a lot of slate."  
  
Artemis smiled. "I was young and selfish. Believe it or not, I do harbor some doubts over that particular venture."  
  
"Not enough doubts to return the gold?"  
  
"No, not quite. But I'm helping you now, aren't I?"  
  
"That remains to be seen. Talk, Fowl."  
  
"Very well. I believe one of your officers has been abducted. And before you speak, no, I had nothing to do with it. I happen to have a friend. . ."  
  
"You have friends, Fowl?"  
  
Artemis ignored this. "He found a letter regarding the abductor's plans. Have you heard of Voldemort?"  
  
Holly frowned. "Yes."  
  
"This man wants to drain the fairy's energy and use it to return Voldemort to life."  
  
Holly's eyes went wide, then narrowed. "Who is he? I'll kill him!"  
  
"Ah, that's the thing, you see. It's my friend's father. You can't hurt him. I had to promise my friend you wouldn't."  
  
"Since when have you had to do anything, Fowl?" Holly looked extremely skeptical.  
  
"All right then. Your officer is being held in the man's dungeons. The easiest way to get into the house and navigate the dungeons successfully is to have the son lead us. He won't cooperate without that reassurance."  
  
"After the time stop and the ground flush. . ."  
  
"You'd kill his mother? Their servants? They haven't done anything wrong."  
  
"It's not like you to argue ethics."  
  
Artemis almost shifted uncomfortably, but restrained himself. Truthfully, he'd be happy to see Lucius Malfoy dead, and he was not particularly concerned about Narcissa. But Draco would grieve, and Artemis found that he didn't like that idea. He wasn't sure why, and for once decided not to think about something. "Do I have your word or not?"  
  
"All right, Fowl, but they'll all be mind-wiped," Holly agreed after a pause.  
  
"Fine. Would you like to meet the son so you can plan your rescue? I'll send an owl and have him join us in one of the classrooms."  
  
"I can't get used to the idea of you being a wizard." Holly frowned at him, recalling Root's expression the day they'd found out. Foaly had the boy under observation when he'd received his Hogwarts letter. The Commander had nearly had a stroke.  
  
Artemis gave a noncommittal "Hm" and they headed to the Owlery after Holly reshielded herself.  
  
Draco entered the DADA room a bit warily. Artemis sat at a desk just inside the door, wearing those funny mirrored glasses again. He pulled Draco aside immediately on the pretext of moving around him to close the door. As he did so, he shoved a pair of glasses in Malfoy's hand. "Put them on," he ordered in a hushed voice.  
  
Draco did so automatically. "What's going on?"  
  
Holly's voice interrupted. "You think I'm as dishonest as you, is that it? You have to shield everyone so I won't double-cross you?"  
  
The boys both turned to see her, sitting on Lockhart's desk, wearing the flying wings, and holding a gun. "We have already established that you don't really want to be working with me," Artemis said as Draco stared.  
  
"Is this Holly?" he asked, studying her carefully.  
  
"Yes." Artemis felt a brief twinge of satisfaction that Draco had guessed her identity so easily. "She wants your help in rescuing the fairy prisoner."  
  
Draco paled. "I was afraid of that. Because it's at our manor. . ."  
  
"He, not it. Trouble Kelp is the name of the officer involved. And who are you, anyway?" Holly stood up, eyeing the blonde with dislike. He was associated with Fowl and a kidnapping, that was enough reason to dislike him.  
  
"Draco Malfoy."  
  
"Malfoy," Holly repeated. "What've you got, Foaly?"  
  
Draco frowned in confusion. Artemis explained to him about Foaly, contact lenses and helmets that let him see what she saw and let her speak to him, computers that let him look up information on anyone and relay it back to her--and then stopped his explanation as it seemed Malfoy's eyes were starting to glaze over.  
  
"Never mind. Pretend it's magic. She's talking to an all-knowing centaur by magic."  
  
"Can you look up information on anyone?" Draco asked suspiciously. "Cause you've got one of those. Computer. I remember. You showed me."  
  
Artemis raised an eyebrow. Maybe Malfoy was picking up more than he'd thought. "Yes, I have one, and yes, I can."  
  
"Is that how you learned my father is a Death Eater?"  
  
"No. . ."  
  
"Foaly says your father is Lucius Malfoy and he's a Dark wizard," Holly broke in. "You live somewhere in Wales, but it's unplottable."  
  
"I suppose my father's safety is contingent on my helping you?"  
  
"Yes," Holly grunted.  
  
"Would you be going along, Fowl? This is your chance to look at architecture."  
  
"Oh yes," Holly burst out before he could answer, "you'll be staying in my sight at all times. I won't have you roaming around to alert this Lucius." Holly fingered her gun. "Unless you want your mind wiped, you'll be come along with me."  
  
"Besides, I'm not going anywhere with this--lady--alone. I don't trust her. I don't trust you, come to that, but still. . ."  
  
"Fine, yes, I'm coming," Artemis responded as Holly looked indignant. "No need for threats."  
  
"I'm the only honest one here!" Holly scowled.  
  
Draco smiled. "I was right. She doesn't like you."  
  
For the first time since he was two, Artemis felt the urge to stick his tongue out at someone. He mentally smacked himself. "I don't think she looks incredibly fond of you, either."  
  
Draco sat down on one of the desks, unconcerned, still grinning. "By the way, we get to bring your bodyguard along with us, don't we?"  
  
"I never approach possible danger without him."  
  
Holly snorted and looked disdainful.  
  
"Face it, lady, we're wizards, not fighters." Draco looked more amused than annoyed.  
  
"That's Captain Short to you."  
  
Draco wisely refrained from making any short jokes. Something about the capable way Holly held a gun put him off. Besides, a Malfoy always showed good manners. OK, not always, but with adults, in certain social situations. . . all right, whatever, sometimes Malfoys showed good manners. "As you wish, ma'am."  
  
She blinked at him.  
  
"You know, I need a bodyguard like yours, Fowl," Draco mused. "Crabbe and Goyle aren't as effective as I'd hoped. They're young yet, and all that. Do you think I could rent one?"  
  
"You don't rent guards, you buy. To ensure their loyalty."  
  
Holly snorted again.  
  
"How'd you get yours, then?" Draco asked.  
  
"The Butlers have served the Fowls in that capacity for generations."  
  
"Malfoys have always had this, 'if you can't protect yourself, you're not worthy of the name' kind of attitude," Draco shrugged.  
  
"Why don't you combine the approaches?" Holly interjected with a gleam in her eyes. "You can call it the Malfowl Way."  
  
"What about the Fowlfoy Way?" Artemis responded, now amused, as well.  
  
Draco shook his head. "We do not combine our names in any form because it might give Pansy ideas."  
  
"Ah. Good point."  
  
Holly sensed a potentially embarrassing story. "Who's Pansy? What sort of ideas?"  
  
The two boys exchanged a look. "You know, that's not important," Draco tried. "Let's get back to planning."  
  
"You're hiding something."  
  
"Pansy is just a classmate," Artemis said. "She's a bit mental, really."  
  
"Look, first thing's first. How we get my parents out of the house?"  
  
"Mr.'s Crabbe and Goyle, Sr.--how intelligent are they?"  
  
Draco tossed his head. "I've seen flobberworms with more intelligence."  
  
"We fake a letter from one of them to Lucius, inviting him and Narcissa over for--dinner and a Death Eater meeting or something. . ."  
  
"Better be Goyle. And drop it with the Death Eater thing, all right?"  
  
Half-a-smirk. "All right. Then we send a letter from Lucius accepting their invitation. What would Goyle do?"  
  
Draco brightened. "He'd assume he'd invited them and then stupidly forgotten. And he wouldn't want to say anything for fear my father would give him grief about it. That's brilliant!"  
  
"Then while they're gone, we'll go in, free Officer Kelp, and that will be that," Holly said decisively. "You'll be the guide in and out, I'll be the firepower, Butler the brute strength, and Fowl. . ."  
  
They both looked at him. He raised an eyebrow. "Fowl, of course, will be the brains of the outfit," Draco said dryly.  
  
Artemis looked Malfoy in the eye and smirked. "Of course."  
  
Artemis knew a fairly simple spell to disguise handwriting, so the letters were quickly composed and sent off. Then the boys had to go to their next class.  
  
"We'll meet back here Saturday at 5:00," Holly commanded. "Don't be late."  
  
"I would never keep waiting a fair lady such as yourself," Draco returned.  
  
"Don't be cheeky," Holly growled, and shielded.  
  
"She needs to learn how to take a compliment," Draco complained.  
  
"She's still here, you know, just invisible."  
  
"Facts are facts."  
  
"Come on, Malfoy. Charms awaits."  
  
"Unless. . . maybe it was my delivery," he worried.  
  
Artemis rolled his eyes. "You sounded perfectly gallant to me."  
  
Draco grinned. "Come on, Fowl."  
  
A/N: Well, there she is at last. I'm finding her a bit difficult to write, too. But she is here, and I hope she is to your liking so far. Disclaimer: Sentences here and there are taken out of Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident, which has not happened yet in this storyline. 


	28. 28

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 28  
  
Artemis had just climbed into bed on Friday night when his curtain opened and Draco sat down on the foot of the bed. Artemis raised an eyebrow.  
  
Draco bit his lip. "I'm nervous."  
  
Artemis sighed, closed the curtain, and cast a Silencing Charm. "It's just a matter of breaking through the wards, Malfoy. What are you worried about specifically?"  
  
"I don't know! There's all kinds of things that could go wrong," Draco pointed out defensively, crossing his arms. "We use serious wards in the dungeon. Ones that will harm you if you don't remove them properly. Or. . ." he looked away, "or my father could come home."  
  
"We can deal with it," Artemis replied softly. "He may be faster than both of us with his wand, but Holly and Butler can get the drop on him. Just to stun him--she promised," he clarified when Draco looked as if he was going to speak. "Then we can cast an Obliviate on him so he doesn't remember we were the ones to free the LEP Recon. So you see? It'll all be fine."  
  
"I don't know how to cast an Obliviate."  
  
"Holly does." Well, it was a mind wipe, but he didn't want to confuse the issue.  
  
"I don't trust her."  
  
"Neither do I exactly, but she's mostly noble. Think of her as a Gryffindor."  
  
"Great," Draco said with an expression of disdainful sarcasm. "Just what we need."  
  
"It'll be over soon and then things will be back to normal."  
  
"School's almost over for the year."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Draco started to say something, stopped, then sighed. He didn't want school to end.  
  
"Look, don't worry. Remember, I'm going to be there. Nothing gets the better of Artemis Fowl. I'll take care of everything." It was said with calm confidence, not as a boast, and strangely enough, it made Draco feel better.  
  
Not that he could admit it. He rolled his eyes. "Sure, Fowl. You just keep telling yourself how great you are. I'm going back to my own bed and to sleep."  
  
Artemis smirked.  
  
Accordingly on Saturday at 5:00 PM, Holly, Artemis, and Draco met Butler at the Hogwarts gates and walked into Hogsmeade. They used the fireplace in Butler's apartment to floo to the town that lay in the shadow of Malfoy Manor. They couldn't floo to the manor itself; there were wards. Holly did not like this method of travel, but she didn't say so out-loud.  
  
The Manor was unplottable, but Draco, of course, knew where it was. "Look up at the very top of the cliff," he pointed.  
  
Artemis saw the unmistakable shimmer once he knew exactly what to look for. "Let's go."  
  
It took awhile to walk to the top of the cliff, but they didn't want to try to fly Butler. Eventually they reached the gate set in the curtain wall.  
  
"It's a castle," Holly said. The curtain wall was thirty feet high and square, with round towers at each corner. Inside was the keep, on another low hill.  
  
"Sometimes a fortress comes in handy," Draco replied.  
  
"Very defensible," Butler approved, assessing the layout.  
  
"We'll go in the back door. Come on." He led them on around the wall to where it met the keep in the back. There was a small brown door with no handle.  
  
"Do you have a key?"  
  
"It doesn't take a key. It takes a spell, a password, and Malfoy blood. Only a Malfoy can get past the outer wall onto the grounds. Or one he specifically invites. And even then he needs to be there to take down the wards first. Anyway, you three are invited."  
  
Holly exchanged glances with Butler as Draco drew his wand. He muttered the spell and the password, and then placed his palm flat against the door in a certain spot. This seemed to trigger its opening.  
  
"How does it know you have Malfoy blood?" Artemis asked curiously.  
  
Draco shrugged. "It's complicated. I don't exactly know. Hold on, I still have to drop the wards." He said another spell, then they finally all passed through the door.  
  
The part of the keep facing the courtyard was lighter, with bigger windows, but still gave off a cold, unfeeling air. Holly decided she wouldn't have wanted to grow up here.  
  
Another spell and a side door and they were inside, standing in a narrow, stone passageway. "The kitchen is just beyond that arch. This hall keeps going to the manor proper, where we live."  
  
They followed the hall along, up a flight of stairs and through a door. Now that they had left the servants' quarters behind, they had entered the luxurious part of the manor. It was decorated very elegantly in a way only the truly rich could manage. It maintained that subtle unfriendly feeling.  
  
Several hallways over, Draco opened a hidden door to reveal a long flight of stone stairs. The stairs ended at another door. Draco took down another ward and verified his Malfoy blood again. The door was locked, but they took care of that with an Alohamora.  
  
"Where are you going, young Malfoy?"  
  
They all turned at the voice and found themselves staring at a huge painting of a blonde, aristocratic man with a pointed face and clothes of a long-ago era.  
  
"To the dungeons, obviously. Malfoy business."  
  
"You must be careful, young Malfoy. We must not risk the only Heir of our long and magnificent line."  
  
Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Ancestor of yours?"  
  
Draco sighed. "Yes. One of our most prestigious, in fact--Septimus Maximus Malfoy."  
  
The other eyebrow rose to join its fellow. "I've heard of Septimus. He's your link to the Ravenclaw and Slytherin lines."  
  
Septimus smiled smugly. "I indeed have the honor of being that vital link, holding that enviable position of the Heir to three great and noble families."  
  
"Noble?" Holly burst out indignantly. "They're all Dark. . . mm hmph mhm. . ."  
  
Butler had covered her mouth with his large hand. "You don't want him to raise an alarm, do you?" he whispered in her ear. "I don't think insulting his family heritage is the best option."  
  
"Yes, very enviable," Artemis put in hurriedly, stepping in front of Holly and the scene ensuing behind him. "An august personage like you, coming from such a highly esteemed family background. . ."  
  
Draco smirked. "This whole visit was worth it, just to hear you say that."  
  
". . . and did you give the latest Heir lessons on how to project arrogance because. . ."  
  
Butler cleared his throat. "Perhaps we could be moving on now."  
  
"Right. Important business, can't wait, I'll be fine. Adieu for now, Septimus. . ." Draco saluted.  
  
"Au revoir," Septimus called after them, waving, "Good luck."  
  
The door shut behind them.  
  
They went down a long, narrow staircase of stone. When they reached the bottom, Draco lit a few torches in brackets.  
  
"Now, we don't want to get separated, so try staying close," he advised. "The passages down here are quite extensive. You have to go through a maze before you get to the cells. If you go down the wrong corridor, you may just find a dead end--or a booby trap. Oh, and don't touch the walls, or you'll have a nasty experience."  
  
They all drew a little closer together and followed Draco.  
  
"You know my father never held anyone prisoner," Artemis said, unable to help himself.  
  
Draco gave him a dirty look. "No, but you have. And I haven't. What does that say?"  
  
"Perhaps you two were switched at birth," Holly suggested with a wicked glint in her eyes. She only grinned wider when both boys turned to glare at her.  
  
They came to the first intersection of tunnels. "Lumos." Draco's wand lit up. Artemis proceeded to do the same as Draco nudged him. "The floor, Fowl," he whispered. "Is that what you wanted?"  
  
Before them was the wall, dead-ending. Three passages split off from this one, one going left, one going right and twisting around west, the other going right and turning east. And on the floor directly in front of the blank wall, carved into the stone, were words written in Gnommish.  
  
Artemis nudged Butler, who immediately distracted Holly by starting a discussion on emergency tactics.  
  
Artemis prevented a triumphant smile and carefully read the message. "Yes," he said calmly, "that is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you."  
  
"You going to tell me what you discovered?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Didn't think so." Draco scowled. His nerves were on edge, his stomach seemed to be rolling itself up into a ball and doing laps. His hands were sweating. "You are so annoying. You frustrate me to no end."  
  
"I got the spies off you."  
  
"That's the only reason I'm letting you get by with this."  
  
"Oh, well, OK." Artemis hid another smile, this one of amusement.  
  
"Come on then." Draco moved forward abruptly, headed down the right easterly passage. Butler and Holly broke off speaking to catch up.  
  
"How did you gain such intimate knowledge of the dungeons?" Holly asked suspiciously after a number of branchings and turnings that left her and Artemis thoroughly confused. "Are you sure you've never held anyone prisoner yourself?"  
  
"I'm sure," Draco answered dryly. "I know because one should always know his home territory."  
  
Eventually, Draco announced, "The cells are coming up now." They began to pass closed doors that obviously hadn't been opened in centuries. Then they came on a section of corridor that was well-lit and kept up. "These are Father's preferred cells. Your officer will be in one of these."  
  
The doors had no windows to look through. Calling Kelp's name at each of the six doors produced no answer except a series of growls from the far left cell.  
  
"We'll have to open each one," Holly concluded.  
  
"Let's avoid the one with some growling monster in it."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
They started with the nearest one to the right. It was empty. The cell across from it had a skeleton chained to the wall, but it had clearly been there for many years. The cell next to it was empty, and smelled really nasty. The boys both gagged and Holly quickly reclosed the door.  
  
She opened the cell beside it. After that, time seemed to slow down and yet happen very fast.  
  
Something large and purple charged out of the cell as soon as the door was opened. It seemed like a cross between a yeti and a gorilla: it walked on four-thumbed feet, was shaggy, huge, and hump-backed, and had two very long, sharp horns. It was clearly violent and enraged.  
  
Butler and Holly both instinctively fired. It roared and stumbled, but kept on coming. The group scattered, the boys jumping behind it, Holly crouching by the door with her gun up, and Butler leaping back. It went for him as the most threatening looking.  
  
"It's a Graphorn!" Draco exclaimed. "Even trolls are afraid of them!"  
  
"Not to worry," Artemis responded, even though he was. "Trolls are also afraid of Butler."  
  
Holly and Butler kept firing at it, which slowed it somewhat. Artemis tried casting a Body Bind hex, but it had no effect. "It has a very tough hide," Draco explained. "It repels most spells."  
  
It had reached Butler now and tried to grab him. Butler neatly side- stepped. It tried to swipe him with its sharp horns. Butler hit it, then shot it point-blank in the face. It fell back a little and howled with pain. Holly maneuvered around and shot it a few more times. It staggered some more and turned to look at her. Butler reached out and grabbed it by the neck. He gave a quick pull, there was a sickening crack, and its neck was broken.  
  
Not even a minute had passed.  
  
They all breathed a sigh of relief. "You're certainly useful," Draco told Butler with a look of awe. "Want to come and work for me instead?"  
  
Artemis's eyes went wide in honest shock. "Malfoy!"  
  
Butler smiled. "I'm loyal to Artemis and the Fowl family alone. But maybe I can owl you names of a few good, available people."  
  
"I'd appreciate that."  
  
For some reason, Artemis's heart was beating hard. "I can't believe you, Malfoy."  
  
Draco shrugged. "It never hurts to ask."  
  
"Get back to it, come on," Holly ordered, and moved to the next cell. Everyone braced themselves, and she opened the door.  
  
"Officer Kelp!" she cried, springing forward. She knelt next to him and checked him over for injuries. Finally, she breathed a sigh of relief. "He'll be OK. He just seems exhausted. Can you carry him, Butler?"  
  
"No need," Artemis interrupted. He pointed his wand at Trouble Kelp. "Mobilus Corpus." The officer rose in the air. Artemis gestured with his wand and Kelp floated toward him.  
  
"Good," said Holly. "Don't drop him."  
  
She closed the cell door. Draco flinched.  
  
"What's wrong with you, Mud Boy? A little jumpy?"  
  
"He knows," Draco whispered, eyes dilating. "When you freed Kelp, something in the wards changed. I felt it. He will have, too."  
  
"Your father?"  
  
"He'll be on his way. He can't Apparate directly into the dungeon. . ."  
  
"Let's go then. Come on," Butler ordered, giving Draco a gentle push.  
  
Draco began to head back to the exit. Abruptly, he stopped.  
  
Holly nearly ran into him. "What?"  
  
"The maze has changed." He swallowed, looking around. They all stared at him, a bit horrified, but then he smiled. "It's all right. I recognize the pattern. We have four basic ones. The walls must have rearranged when the wards went off. But I know the way."  
  
"I hope you do." Holly followed him looking wary. Artemis came behind her, with Kelp floating beside him. Butler brought up the rear.  
  
A few intersections later, though, Draco stopped again. "Do you hear something?"  
  
Footsteps--not human feet. Something was coming.  
  
"The wall's been opened. The Guardian's loose." Draco's voice shook just a little.  
  
"Move," Artemis commanded. He did.  
  
"Guardian? What Guardian?" Holly hissed at him as they hurried along. "What have you not told us?"  
  
"She's penned normally--in the maze. Her wall must have been one that moved. She'll be tracking us."  
  
"What will?"  
  
"The chimaera."  
  
". . . that's not good."  
  
Holly scowled at Artemis. "Maybe the brains of the operation could come up with a plan."  
  
"Shh," said Butler. "Let him think."  
  
"Yes, well, obviously if we can outrun it, we won't have any problems. We can relock the dungeon door behind us and proceed off through the manor. If we're lucky, we'll be gone before Lucius arrives."  
  
"I thought you made your own luck, Fowl."  
  
"I do. If we don't reach the door in time, we'll have to fight the chimaera. If this happens, Lucius will probably catch us as soon as we enter the manor proper."  
  
"He'll kill us."  
  
"He'll try. Just like the chimaera will try. Just like Tom Riddle tried. But I don't die just for someone's wishing."  
  
"They'll be doing more than wishing, Fowl," Draco retorted.  
  
Artemis ignored this. "Let's deal with these problems one at a time. First, the chimaera. Fighting it will be difficult. Fortunately, we have Butler."  
  
"And me," Holly cut in a bit indignantly. "I don't just die on command, either."  
  
The sound of hooves and slithering grew louder as the beast came closer. Then it had rounded a bend in the corridor and they saw it behind them. Lion's head, goat's body, dragon's tail, breath of fire.  
  
"Oh, D'arvit," Holly swore.  
  
"Door's too far." Draco bit his lip, brow creased with tension.  
  
"We stop and make a stand," Butler instructed. "Artemis, get behind us."  
  
"You, too, Malfoy," Holly ordered. "You'll both just get in the way."  
  
"I resent that," Draco said, but he hastened to hide himself more fully behind Butler. He looked over at Artemis, who looked over at him. Both boys had their wands at the ready. "You better have a strategy."  
  
Fowl smirked. "Always." Draco tried to decide, if they survived this, if he would strangle Fowl when they got back to Hogwarts.  
  
The chimaera picked up speed and bounded toward them.  
  
A/N: I'd like to put in a bit more Holly-Draco interaction, but I'm drawing a blank. I'm trying not to rush the story, but I'm ready to get them off the island, so to speak. Be that as it may, much more is still yet to come, so stay tuned. I'm glad you're all still enjoying this and are liking Holly so far! 


	29. 29

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 29  
  
The chimaera picked up speed and bounded toward them.  
  
Holly and Butler both started shooting.  
  
The chimaera ignored the shots as if the bursts and bullets were simply annoying, insignificant gnats. It kept moving closer, roaring. Then it breathed out a jet of fire.  
  
Everyone dived to the floor.  
  
"Malfoy, shouldn't it listen to you?" Holly shrieked.  
  
"It's not a pet! She only obeys my father."  
  
It roared again, showing off its pointed fangs, and swiped at Butler and Holly with its tail with enough force that they would have slammed against the wall and broken several ribs if they hadn't hurriedly dodged.  
  
Butler picked himself up and tackled it from the side, holding it by its goat middle and its neck. Its tail thrashed and its legs moved wildly as it tried to turn its head far enough to breathe flame on its attacker.  
  
Butler had it pinned in place. Draco tried to cast Stupefy on it, but it seemed to be resistant to magic as well as gunfire. Butler just kept squeezing.  
  
"Do you have to kill her?" Draco asked, sounding concerned.  
  
"Unless you prefer that it kills us!" Holly screamed at him. "It's an unnatural creature of dark magic, anyway!"  
  
The beast succeeded in throwing Butler off with a mighty heave of its body. It immediately darted in to sink its teeth into his shoulder. Butler gave a hoarse cry.  
  
"Impedimentia!" Artemis shouted, and that spell stuck, giving Butler enough time to pull away and scramble to his feet.  
  
Holly swooped in then, and fired at it point blank in the face. It roared and moved back.  
  
"It's not actually impervious to bullets or magic," Artemis deduced. "It's just really tough. It takes awhile to wear it down enough to affect it."  
  
His efforts at calculation were put on hold abruptly as the creature swung her spiked tail at him, and Butler knocked him out of the way.  
  
Immediately after, the chimaera breathed a gout of fire at Holly, who used her wings to get above it. She could still feel the heat pass underneath her, singeing her boots.  
  
Draco darted in as soon as the fire cleared. As the monster opened its mouth again, he pointed its wand straight down his maw. "Aquarius!"  
  
The chimaera drew a breath and Draco dove back out of its path and came up rolling. The beast gave a look of surprise as smoke came out of its mouth and nose.  
  
"Did that actually work?" Draco asked, face screwed up in wonder.  
  
"Until he can build up his fire again," Artemis said. "You've successfully quenched it for the moment." He sounded honestly admiring.  
  
Draco grinned broadly.  
  
Holly and Butler repositioned themselves in front of it, then resumed firing. The beast roared again and charged at them. They dodged, but the monster's momentum carried it forward so that it ran into the wall with enough force to knock a few bricks loose.  
  
It shook itself and turned back around. Draco stared at the bricks on the ground. His two talents were potions and transfiguration. This would be a little beyond his current grade level, but he figured desperation would help. He shrugged, raised his wand, and concentrated on a brick.  
  
Capt. Short and Butler were still shooting. Artemis was able to magically bind the dragon tail. He had come to the conclusion that each part of the animal's body was like a separate creature and therefore required a spell for each part. He renewed the Aquarius spell for good measure.  
  
He looked over at Malfoy, who had just turned the brick into a wooden block. Now as he watched, the block was rapidly elongating into a long, thin rod. Now the rod was becoming very pointy on one end.  
  
The chimaera came galloping towards them again. "Butler," Draco called, "catch!" He threw the newly made pike. Butler planted the base against the ground and impaled the monster with it as it charged.  
  
It twitched for awhile, still alive. Holly fired a few more rounds into it until it finally stopped moving. Butler reloaded his guns.  
  
"Pretty smooth," Holly congratulated Butler.  
  
"Perhaps, Captain, now would be a good time for you to heal him," Artemis suggested.  
  
Holly put her hand on Butler's torn shoulder and let her healing magic flow through her into him. "Mind, I don't intend to make a habit of this."  
  
"Thank you," Butler said when she was done.  
  
"That was awesome! You just got rid of the wound--completely! Without a wand or anything!"  
  
"Yet another way fairies are superior to you Mud Men."  
  
Butler cleared his throat. "We'd better hurry."  
  
They reached the door that separated the dungeons from the manor. Draco stopped with his hand on the doorknob. "You promised not to harm my father, remember?" He stared at each of them in turn.  
  
"Regrettably, yes," Holly replied with a look of disdain.  
  
"Or your mother, if she's there," Fowl added unexpectedly.  
  
Draco swallowed. "Or my mother."  
  
Butler simply nodded.  
  
"Right then." Draco opened the door.  
  
With a feeling of déjà vu, Butler saw Lucius Malfoy standing haughtily, dangerously, in a doorway.  
  
The tall blonde man lifted a pale eyebrow. "Draco. Well, well, this is a surprise."  
  
Draco took an involuntary step back, smacking an elbow into Artemis's side by accident. Artemis hid his grimace, concentrating on Malfoy Sr., whose eyes met his.  
  
Lucius gave an amused sneer. "And Artemis Fowl, the Second. On reflection, that doesn't surprise me. But the two of you together. . . Draco, I believe I made my feelings on this matter clear."  
  
"Oh shut up, you malicious human," Holly snapped at him, shoving through the doorway. She kept her gun pointed at him. Lucius only laughed.  
  
The other three crowded through the door. They discovered Mr.'s Crabbe and Goyle Sr. behind Lucius. Artemis was still levitating Kelp's unconscious body.  
  
"I see," Lucius said. "You've found my leprechaun. I suppose you're one of them, as well." He examined Holly.  
  
"I don't feel like talking to you, Mud Man. Say goodnight." She moved to pull the trigger.  
  
Lucius negligently waved his wand and her gun simply shattered in her hand. She cried out, dropping the bits that remained.  
  
"Muggle devices," Lucius sneered. He turned to the hulking goon on his left. "Crabbe, see to it that my son is kept out of this fight. Unharmed, of course." He smiled unpleasantly as Crabbe moved forward and grabbed Draco by the arm.  
  
The portrait of Septimus Maximus Malfoy broke in. "Quite right, quite right. Must keep the Heir to the Malfoy line safe."  
  
Everyone threw him an annoyed look.  
  
"Yes," Lucius said dryly. "Goyle, you take the big one. Now would be good."  
  
Goyle charged. Butler moved. Artemis tried to cast Stupefy on Lucius.  
  
"Petrificalus Totalus," Lucius intoned lazily, and Artemis found himself in a full body bind, unable to move.  
  
But while Lucius's attention was elsewhere, Holly levitated using the wings, and did a roundhouse kick to Lucius's wand hand. He dropped the wand.  
  
Goyle had tried to take Butler without magic, a mistake on his part. He had thrown his arms around him in a wrestler's hold, preparing to squeeze, but Butler was fast enough not to get his arms pinned. He delivered a chopping blow to Goyle's neck and Goyle staggered back and fell to his knees.  
  
"Use your wand, you idiot," Lucius snapped at him, as he tried to fend off Holly, who was maneuvering to kick him in the face.  
  
Butler heaved Goyle back up before he could draw his wand, though, and with a few quick punches rendered him unconscious. Lucius grabbed Holly's leg and pulled her down. Butler turned to Lucius.  
  
"Watch out!" Draco cried as Crabbe raised his wand. Butler turned back around but Crabbe had already hit him with a stunning spell. Butler dropped.  
  
Artemis watched Butler fall, outraged and feeling completely helpless. He tried to move, but couldn't even wiggle a finger. This could not be happening to him! He was never helpless, never!  
  
Draco pulled at Crabbe's wand, trying to get it away from him. As Crabbe was so much bigger and stronger, this proved ineffectual. But while Crabbe was minding him, he couldn't cast any more spells.  
  
Lucius was struggling to keep Holly from flying away and renewing her attack on him. He pulled her in closer, holding onto her arms. She bent her neck, and then rammed the top of her head under his chin. He let go, seeing stars.  
  
"You little hoyden!" the portrait shouted at Holly. "Unfeminine wench!"  
  
Holly gave it an incredulous look.  
  
"Be quiet, Septimus!" Draco yelled at it.  
  
Septimus expressed shock. "Draco, how could you fight against your father like this? You're obviously under evil influences. Come back to the Malfoy fold, young Heir!"  
  
"I'm not against him," Draco quickly denied, eyeing his father. What he saw made his breath hitch.  
  
Holly had been distracted for too long, or Lucius recovered too fast. For the next thing she knew, he had shoved around her and swooped up his wand from the floor.  
  
"Let me see," he said, "two fairies for the price of one." He was smiling in a most dangerous yet charming manner.  
  
"You don't have me, you filthy Dark wizard," she hissed at him, "and you won't have Kelp much longer." She met his eyes squarely and layered her voice with the hypnotic mesmer. "You will put up your wand and surrender to me now."  
  
Lucius Malfoy laughed. "Feel free to try that for however long you like. It won't work on me."  
  
Curious, Draco asked him, "Are you spelled against it?"  
  
"Of course. I am, as she helpfully pointed out, a Dark wizard."  
  
Butler was moving. Just small twitches, but he was definitely waking up, fighting off the effects of the stunning hex by sheer will.  
  
"Impressive," Lucius commented. "Now that's a true bodyguard. Take notes, Crabbe."  
  
"They'll be mis-spelled," Draco sniffed, tossing back his head and looking disdainful.  
  
Lucius smirked. Holly charged him.  
  
Holly fought her way through blackness. She opened her eyes and looked around. Butler was standing in front of Artemis, trying to figure out how to release him from the body bind. Artemis had reached a point where he could talk and wiggle his fingers and toes. The portrait was cheerfully insulting them. Draco, Kelp, Lucius, and his two henchmen were conspicuous in their absence.  
  
"D'arvit! What happened?"  
  
"Lucius hexed you, Butler woke up, Lucius took Draco and disappeared, Butler stood up, Crabbe grabbed Kelp and disappeared. Then Butler held a gun to Goyle's head and woke him up. Good interrogation, by the way, Butler. After that, he tossed Goyle down the dungeon stairs. That brings us to now."  
  
"Can you unfreeze him?" Butler asked her.  
  
"Did you really break out of a Stupefy spell through a sense of duty to return to your employer?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Holly sighed. Butler would insist she unfroze Fowl. She really, really wanted to leave him like that, though. "Not perfect, are you, Mud Boy?"  
  
"You do want to know what Goyle told us, don't you?" Artemis countered, barely hiding his irritation.  
  
Holly frowned at him. "Shut up and be grateful." She reached out and touched Fowl's arm, concentrating. After a moment, he felt her magic washing over him, and he could move again.  
  
"All right. You can apparate within Malfoy Manor, which they did. Goyle assumes they went somewhere that they could Floo to another location. The three of them had been en route to the manor even before we set the wards off. They had been ordered to bring Kelp to Riddle immediately."  
  
"Riddle?" Holly scrunched up her face in confusion. "Tom Riddle? But Voldmort doesn't have a body. That's the whole point."  
  
"Yes, well, apparently before Ginny Weasley entered the Chamber of Secrets that last time, she ripped some pages out of Riddle's enchanted diary and hid them so that he couldn't be completely destroyed. A back-up plan, if you will, a second chance at life."  
  
"Aren't you going to tell her that it was your threatening Riddle through the diary with fire that gave him the idea?" Septimus asked loudly with a wicked grin.  
  
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "You burn next."  
  
Septimus squeaked and shut up.  
  
"The important point is that we need to return to Hogwarts right away. Riddle has possessed another person and could be getting revived even as we speak."  
  



	30. 30

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
Chapter 30  
  
They came out in a back room in the Hogs Head. Crabbe Sr. took the leprechaun and went out the back door, and his father took Draco by the arm and led him to one of the rooms upstairs. Another one of his father's associates waited there. His father dragged him over to a chair and sat him down. "Go guard the door a moment, Avery," Lucius commanded. Avery went out into the hall.  
  
Lucius turned his attention to Draco. He raised one eyebrow, tapping his wand lightly against his crossed arms. "Well?"  
  
Draco looked down at his hands clenched tightly in his lap. He felt cold sweat running down his sides. Fear coiled in his belly, but he looked back up and met his father's eyes. His mind was working faster than he figured it ever had before, all revolving around one question: what would Fowl say?  
  
"The problem with me being Harry Potter's enemy is that I have no foreknowledge of his actions," he began, the words spilling from his lips. "I know you don't want me associating with Fowl, but I found myself with the same problem with him. And he's in Slytherin, in my own year, in my own dorm. The common ground was there to fake--not friendship, we've never been friends--but something like an alliance. So I did, I have been, and I learned he'd found some old papers of Lockhart's, and found out about the fairies, and somehow he befriended them and agreed to a rescue for gold. He likes gold. I've been following him, trying to figure out his exact plans, and I went with him tonight, and we ended up at our manor, which I hadn't expected, but I went along with it because I knew I could set off the wards, and you'd come, and you did." He finished, out of breath, and waited for his father's reaction.  
  
Lucius continued his wand tapping. "The way you followed him to the Chamber of Secrets?"  
  
"I had less warning there, sir. That's what made me--try harder."  
  
"I despair of you, Draco. You'll never make a true Malfoy if all you do is follow and react. And you went against my orders. Did it never occur to you to ask permission for your little plots?"  
  
That familiar feeling of wretchedness spread through Draco, the utter conviction that his father was right about his son. "I'm sorry," he whispered, looking back at his hands.  
  
Lucius strode forward and took the boy's chin in his hand, raising his face up to stare at him. "You'd better not be lying to me, boy. If you've been working against me. . ."  
  
"Never, Father. I'm loyal to you, sir, and to my name."  
  
The hand clenched around his chin, causing his eyes to water with pain. "Please, sir, I'm not lying. . ."  
  
The hand released him. The eyes regarded him with disdain. "No, I suppose even you aren't stupid enough to cross me. But you're still far too weak."  
  
"I try to learn from you, Father."  
  
"Learn from this, then. First and foremost, you are to obey me. Never forget that."  
  
"Yes, sir." Draco swallowed hard.  
  
"If you become aware of any of Fowl's plots, you will inform me before you do anything else. You can't afford to make mistakes. Once the Dark Lord is revived you will serve him well or face his wrath. I cannot save you then."  
  
"Yes, Father."  
  
"The Dark Lord will be revived by me. Then we will be highest in his favor and in power. You will do nothing to jeopardize this or to disgrace me. Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes, sir. I'm to be a Death Eater, then?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"We'll exterminate all the Muggle-borns, then, and people like Fowl and the Weasleys?"  
  
"Obviously." Lucius sneered at him.  
  
"Before or after the war with the fairies?"  
  
Lucius blinked. "What?"  
  
"The fairies. The whole race of fairies who are well aware of the part you and Lockhart played in abducting and killing one of their own, who've worked at safeguarding their secret of existence for hundreds of years, who hate Voldemort, who won't just ignore this little incident. Sir." Draco tried to ignore the rapid beating of his heart.  
  
Lucius's eyes glittered dangerously at him. "Been doing some research, have you?"  
  
"You always say know your enemy." As Lucius stared at him malevolently, Draco prayed that the fear wouldn't make him vomit. He hadn't talked back to his father like this for years. "Of course, you know more than I do. What's the spell that protects you from their glamour?"  
  
Lucius's eyes narrowed further. "Think you'll have use for it?"  
  
"It's just that you did leave that one alive, right? And Butler, and Fowl. I expect they'll be figuring out what happened and where we've gone soon."  
  
"They'll be too late to prevent the Dark Lord's revival. Crabbe has already taken the leprechaun on to Hogwarts. Our lord can kill them or let them live as he pleases." He paused. "I'm sending you back to Hogwarts with Avery. I want you to go to the Slytherin dungeons and stay there. Keep well out of it. As I will be doing by staying in Hogsmeade--I have no intention of incriminating myself--just in case." The two regarded each other a moment longer. Lucius's face turned pensive. "I suppose, though, that a little insurance couldn't hurt. I'll teach you the spell before you go."  
  
"Thank you, Father. You are wise, as always," Draco said, and smiled.  
  
Butler glanced over at Artemis as they entered the school grounds. You wouldn't notice if you didn't know him well, but to Butler he seemed almost fidgety. "Is something wrong?"  
  
Holly snorted. "Besides the fact that our rescue mission has been a fiasco so far?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong," Artemis denied, and then, "Malfoy's alone with his father."  
  
Butler frowned. "You think he'd hurt his son?"  
  
"He's a Death Eater and a Dark wizard. I'd say he's capable of anything."  
  
"What's this?" Holly scoffed. "Surely Artemis Fowl isn't actually concerned about somebody other than himself?"  
  
"That would be rather foolish of me. Especially regarding Draco Malfoy, of all people." Artemis's response was just a bit more heated than his normal tones, and his face was just a bit pinker than usual. "It's just. . . he was worried last night, and I practically promised him that everything would be okay."  
  
"As I recall, you're not that big on keeping your promises, either." The day Holly believed in altruism in Artemis Fowl would be the day she eloped with Mulch Diggums.  
  
Artemis gave her a look. "What, you want some innocent person to be abused?"  
  
"No, of course not!"  
  
"Then what's the problem? Let's go and fix everything."  
  
They stopped talking and hurried onwards.  
  
When they opened the door to the DADA room, this is what they saw: Crabbe standing a bit awkwardly over Lockhart's desk, where Kelp was lying. Prof. Lockhart himself, wand in hand, glimmering slightly with a blurry aura around him, and facing off against him, also holding his wand, was Harry Potter.  
  
"How does Potter always get mixed up in this?" Artemis mused out loud.  
  
"He sent me an owl saying he needed to talk to me about my schoolwork immediately. When I got here, he pulled a wand on me. It's not my fault!" Potter spoke up defensively.  
  
"It would appear that Riddle has possessed Lockhart," Artemis told him calmly. ". . . which would explain his competence in class the other day. . ."  
  
Gilderoy laughed. "So nice of you to join us. Crabbe told me we could be expecting you."  
  
"What do you think you're doing, Mud Man?" Holly demanded, holding up the gun that Butler had leant her.  
  
"You may address me as Lord Voldemort," he replied, "although I haven't been able to reincarnate my own body. I haven't been with this foolish man long enough, and he hasn't fed me with his hopes and fears like little Ginny did. All he ever does is prattle on about himself, actually, he had me longing to murder him."  
  
"You're getting off the subject," Artemis noted wryly.  
  
"I hate you, Fowl. But my first priority is Potter. As soon as I sent Lucius off for this fairy, I brought Potter to me." He turned to Harry. "I will kill you this time," he sneered at him.  
  
Potter looked determined. "I don't think so."  
  
"You won't be fully in possession of that body until you kill the fairy," Artemis pointed out. "Shouldn't you be doing that before you kill Potter?"  
  
"I have enough time for both," Voldemort declared, a manic gleam in his eyes only worn by those who were truly obsessed.  
  
"I don't understand. Why does he have to kill the fairy?" Potter asked.  
  
"His blood will return me to full power," Voldemort laughed. "It's a very Dark spell."  
  
"Enough talking," Holly said, and fired at Lockhart.  
  
"Summoveo Vigor!" Voldemort cried, and a shimmering bubble appeared around him. The bullet couldn't penetrate the force field.  
  
Voldemort smiled smugly. "Your foolish Muggle weapons can't get through this." Then he pointed his wand at Harry again. "Avada. . ."  
  
Potter decided the wisest course of action was to dodge. He rolled under a table.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Artis tried, but spells wouldn't reach through the shield, either.  
  
Crabbe raised his wand to join in the fray, and Butler shot him with the stun gun.  
  
Everyone turned as the door opened.  
  
"Is this a private party?" a drawling voice asked.  
  
Artemis actually smiled. "Hello, Malfoy. Where's Lucius?"  
  
"Oh, he didn't want to come." He looked over at Harry and sneered. "Of course the Boy Wonder's here."  
  
"Lockhart sent for me!"  
  
"Voldemort's possessing our professor."  
  
"What--again? First Quirrell, now this? Dumbledore needs to work on his hiring procedures."  
  
"Last time you killed me," Voldemort hissed. "I haven't told your father yet. If he wasn't responsible for bringing me to life again, I'd wipe the Malfoys from existence."  
  
Draco's expression became unreadable. "I've been given strict instructions to live up to the Malfoy family name."  
  
"Well, this will be your second and final chance, then. Once I've returned to full life, no one needs to know about your role in the Chamber of Secrets. I won't even punish you for it. But if you work against me again. . ."  
  
"I've been told my purpose in life is to become a Death Eater and serve you," Draco interrupted. "I suppose now's as good a time to start as any."  
  
"I always knew you were evil, Malfoy," Potter spat.  
  
"You self-serving little coward!" Holly exclaimed. "I was almost starting to think you weren't as bad as Fowl! Despite the fact that your personality is twisted enough to associate with him!"  
  
"Hey, don't blame me," Draco retorted, indignant. "I was charming to you and everything. If you can't hang onto your partners, I think that says something about you."  
  
Butler shook his head, regarding the boy with concern.  
  
Artemis felt a strange churning inside him. It felt sort of like--betrayal. But why would that be? Draco never said he'd do anything but get them in the Manor, which he'd done. They were the ones who'd let down on their end of the deal, by letting his father escape with him. Besides, he and Draco were never more than reluctant allies, at best. It's not like they were ever friends. Artemis could understand feeling frustration or annoyance, at another obstacle to their plans, but betrayal? That didn't make sense.  
  
Not unless he'd unconsciously been considering their one-time alliance to be more permanent. But that would be foolish. Artemis forcibly dropped the question from his mind and looked around for the remaining pages of Riddle's diary.  
  
Lockhart's famous smile turned into an evil smirk. "Looking for this?" He held up a bundle of papers, waved it around, then stuck it back in his robe pocket.  
  
"We need that diary," he told the others.  
  
"Accio diary!" Potter cast, but that spell was deflected as well. "This looks really bad."  
  
"We have to break down the force field."  
  
"How?"  
  
Meanwhile, Butler had overturned a table and drug Artemis to hide behind it with him. Potter crawled over to join them, and Holly activated her invisibility shield.  
  
"Who is that girl?" Potter asked him.  
  
"She's an ally for our side. Listen, this is important. Before he can cast a spell, he has to drop that force field. Right now, nothing can get in, but nothing can go out, either. So we're going to have a very brief window of opportunity."  
  
"Do you have an ace up your sleeve like last time?" Harry asked hopefully.  
  
Artemis raised one eyebrow. "He wants to take you out before me."  
  
"I meant one that benefits all of us, you--Slytherin."  
  
"Butler, as soon as the shield goes down, shoot him."  
  
Butler nodded.  
  
"You and I will try to cast something, as well."  
  
"What about Malfoy?"  
  
"He's not going to be aiming to kill anybody. Concentrate on Riddle."  
  
"Go revive Crabbe," Tom ordered Draco at this point. He moved to do so, just as Holly grabbed Kelp and hid him behind her shield.  
  
"Sir? Your fairy just disappeared," Draco pointed.  
  
Voldemort spun around and looked. Then he swore and searched the room wildly with his eyes. "You won't get away that easy," he snarled, dropped the force field, and warded the door against escape.  
  
Butler rose up from behind the table and shot him. The force field was already going back up even as the bullet left the gun and it half-clipped the field, changing direction and hitting Riddle in the left shoulder. Artemis's and Potter's spells only hit the bubble and bounced off, ricocheting around the room until they hit the caged, sleeping Diricawl.  
  
"Expelliarmus takes too long to say," Potter complained.  
  
"I was going for Silencio myself."  
  
Riddle was staring at Butler in shock. "You--you shot me. You shot me!" He clamped his hand over his bleeding shoulder.  
  
"He is quite good at that," Potter remarked.  
  
Suddenly Lockhart's eyes lit with an eerie reddish glow. He narrowed them, giving everyone a deadly gaze. "Fools. I can come back with a different body. You'll only kill Lockhart and I don't like him anyway--I don't care how charming his smile is."  
  
Artemis began thinking very, very fast.  
  
Abruptly, Voldemort overturned another table, crouched behind it, and cast a Revealing spell. Holly and Kelp lost their invisibility.  
  
Artemis could just see the top of the bubble over the edge of the table. He counted the seconds it took to reappear.  
  
"You can't run from me, fairy," Voldemort laughed coldly.  
  
"Butler," Artemis ordered, "don't fire next time. Potter, as soon as Riddle starts to cast something, move the table."  
  
Voldemort's attention was drawn to Draco, who was edging his way around to get behind Riddle's table. "Why haven't you revived Crabbe yet?"  
  
"That's where the leprechauns are. She has a gun." Draco put some deliberate whine into his voice. "It's safer out of the line of fire. You're still bleeding. I don't want to bleed. You have this nice table. I want to hide, too. . ."  
  
Voldemort clutched at his hair. "Shut up! I'm not hiding! This is strategy! And get your own table!"  
  
Draco proceeded to do so, right next to Voldemort's. "Sir, with all due respect, I think you're losing it a bit. It's probably the Muggle influence in your blood."  
  
Riddle was breathing fast and a bit erratically. "You. . . Lockhart is what's driving me mad, I'm sure. Maybe I'll take your body to possess. How would that be, eh? Then I wouldn't have to listen to your supremacy drivel."  
  
Draco swallowed a cold lump of fear. "But I'd be in your head, the way he is. Trust me. I'd drive you crazy, too."  
  
"Not if I do to you what I should have done to him in the first place." He raised his wand. Draco raised his.  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa," Potter yelled, and the table rose into the air.  
  
Three spells were shouted at once. 


	31. 31 Endings and Promises

The Family Name  
  
By Elbereth in April  
  
A/N: Sorry this is late (especially on a cliff-hanger), but I have a good excuse. I have been QUITE sick since 6/30. I went to the emergency room on 7/4 because I couldn't stop vomiting (fun holiday, huh?) and didn't get released from hospital until 7/10. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with me at first. Plus I achieved my personal record high temperature of 103.6 (pack her in ice, if it gets too high she could have a stroke or something). You tend to lose confidence in your nurses when they say this. But finally they decided I have mono and sent me home. I wanted to give all my reviewers a personal thanks with my last chapter, but I just don't feel up to it. Know I'm thinking about you, though! I leave you for now with this offering. Don't worry. . . I plan to sequel once I have healed up more.  
  
Chapter 31: Endings and Promises  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa," Potter yelled, and the table rose into the air.  
  
Three spells were shouted at once.  
  
The light from Riddle's Obliviate spell intercrossed with Artemis's Impedimentia, which slowed it down. Draco's Incendio shot in over it.  
  
The force field reactivated. Voldemort's spell ping-ponged around in the bubble until it struck him in the chest.  
  
His robes caught on fire. He shrieked and the force field dropped.  
  
Crabbe, who was slowly waking up, was re-stunned when Holly kicked him in the head.  
  
Lockhart dropped his wand, stripped his robes off, still shrieking, and let them fall to the floor. By then Butler had him around the throat, half- lifted off the ground.  
  
"Thank goodness you wear trousers underneath," Potter muttered seriously, with extreme relief.  
  
Artemis and Draco were busy staring at the burning robes, in the pocket of which were Riddle's diary pages, rapidly turning black and crackling from the fire.  
  
After a moment, Draco met Artemis's eyes. "What? If I really had joined Voldemort, it would have been no more than you deserved. My father's waiting for Avery to report back to him, you know."  
  
"Avery?"  
  
"We met up with him in Hogsmeade. He walked me back to the castle. I waited til his back was turned, stunned him, and locked him in the Potions closet in Snape's office."  
  
The robes were stained with ink before they dissolved into ash.  
  
Potter looked over at them now. "Fowl, how did you know to do that?"  
  
"It was all a matter of timing and trajectory," Artemis replied, as if it should be obvious. "I admit, I expected whatever Riddle cast to be more sinister than Obliviate. But we accomplished what we intended. He's back to Lockhart. It's hard to believe, but Malfoy's actions have impressed me."  
  
Draco frantically fought down a blush, feeling a surge of warmth.  
  
"Impressed? He could have burnt Lockhart alive!"  
  
"Yes. I honestly didn't think of it."  
  
"You're more ruthless than me, Fowl, but I'm over-all nastier," Draco shrugged.  
  
"You could have Accio'd the diary first," Potter protested.  
  
"Not enough time."  
  
"Butler, what is Lockhart's condition?"  
  
Lockhart was dangling from Butler's grip, looking befuddled. "He'll live. I suppose we should take him to your headmaster."  
  
"Are you OK, Professor?" Harry asked politely.  
  
"Professor? Am I?"  
  
"Ah. The Obliviate charm seems to have been a particularly strong one."  
  
"Have we met? I say, why does my shoulder hurt?"  
  
"You were shot."  
  
"Was I?"  
  
Artemis turned to Holly, who had been ignoring them, checking Kelp over for wounds once again. "How is he?"  
  
"He'll be fine, I think," she reported. "I need to take him back. But first is the little matter of some mass mind-wiping. You copying this, Foaly?"  
  
"Oh, I've been watching breathlessly, I assure you," he answered her.  
  
"We have to get your father and his henchmen back to their homes, as well."  
  
"Fowl, what's this all about?"  
  
"Potter," Fowl responded. "Take Lockhart to Dumbledore. He'll go quite docilely, it would appear. Tell Dumbledore that Lockhart was possessed in the same manner as Ginny Weasley was, but we foiled his plans. Leave Malfoy out of it. I'll explain the rest later. Right now, we have some cleaning up to do."  
  
"How do we get these goons out of the castle?" Holly asked. "I can't shield them all."  
  
Fowl looked at Potter speculatively, then smirked.  
  
Some smooth talking and a couple of threats of Imperio later, two levitating, bound, and unconscious henchmen were covered with Potter's invisibility cloak and floating towards Hogsmeade.  
  
Draco glanced over at Fowl out of the corner of his eye and found him looking back the same way. They both looked away quickly.  
  
Artemis was feeling extremely uncomfortable. He checked to make sure that Butler, walking behind them, wasn't listening. "I did think you were siding with Riddle, back there."  
  
"I think--I think I've mainly decided to--how did you phrase it last time?-- foreswear Voldemort's service. But--well, my father intends for me to follow him eventually. And, well, you're the strategy man. I'm the Seeker."  
  
"I'll work on it," Artemis said.  
  
"But anyway, I was just faking it back there. I had to do that for Father, too." He glanced at Fowl again. "Your original rescue plan had a few holes in it, I'd say."  
  
Artemis wanted to defend himself. He still wasn't quite used to planning around magic, despite his increasing exposure to it. But he didn't argue. He felt Malfoy had a right to be upset. He'd told him he'd take care of his father, and he hadn't. Guilt was an unaccustomed feeling.  
  
"Malfoy. . ." He wasn't used to feeling hesitant, either. "Did your father- -" hurt you, he wanted to say, but didn't dare. "Um, give you a hard time?" Had he just said 'um?' It wasn't even a word.  
  
Malfoy looked at him a bit incredulously at that. "I was fighting against him," he snapped. "What do you think? I managed to talk my way out of it, though," he finished, as if trying to make light of it.  
  
"But what did he. . ."  
  
"What do you think he did? It--I got a stern lecture."  
  
"Just. . ."  
  
"A lecture. No big deal." Malfoy wasn't meeting his eyes.  
  
Artemis got a strange, cold queasiness in his stomach. He didn't know what it meant. "Oh."  
  
An awkward silence descended.  
  
They stopped outside the inn. "Which room is he in?" Butler asked. Draco took them around back and pointed it out.  
  
"The window's partly open," Artemis whispered.  
  
"Has he seen us?" came Holly's voice.  
  
"He tends to avoid windows."  
  
"Holly, can you fly up to it and look inside?"  
  
"You still have the stun gun," Butler said. "You can take him out through the window."  
  
"Good plan." Holly was grinning. She laid Kelp on the ground, unholstered the gun, and activated her wings. Then she rose up to hover with just her eyes above the level of the windowsill. She raised the gun, took careful aim, and fired.  
  
A moment later she was back on the ground. "Mission accomplished. Let's take them all inside and do the mind wipe there."  
  
They trooped up the stairs and entered the room. They laid Lucius, Crabbe, and Avery on the beds.  
  
"You sure it won't hurt him?" Draco was staring worriedly at his father.  
  
"I'm sure, kid. I promised, didn't I?" Her smile was actually kind. The boys blinked in surprise.  
  
She hooked the men up to various electrodes connected to a kit. It linked back to Foaly, who could use it to read their memories and erase what was necessary.  
  
"Done," Foaly reported after a short time.  
  
"And you, Malfoy. Sit down on that chair and I'll do you, too." Holly looked at Draco.  
  
"Me?" Draco sputtered. "No way!"  
  
"I think you should leave him," Artemis put in. "He needs to be able to watch his father."  
  
Holly laughed grimly. "Oh, don't worry, we'll be keeping him under surveillance."  
  
"Still. . . you might miss something. . ."  
  
Commander Root's voice sounded in Holly's earpiece. "I hate to say it, but the Mud Boy's right. I don't want to have any more humans than necessary knowing about us, but these are wizards, and they've always had more knowledge than ordinary humans. We're just another weird fairy species to these old purebloods. I think we'll need as many eyes watching the Death Eaters as possible. Voldemort regaining life would be a terrible evil."  
  
Holly sighed. Despite Kelp's rescue, she was not having a good day. On the other hand, it was better than her last experience with Fowl.  
  
Draco stepped forward and met Holly's eyes. "I won't tell anybody about you," he said solemnly. "I promise."  
  
Holly gazed back at him. She had been eavesdropping on the boys' discussion during the walk back. It was clear the Malfoy boy had been through a rough childhood. He'd had a lot to deal with, considering his father was so cruel and all. Even Fowl had actually sounded concerned about this boy--unless he was just trying to manipulate him, she wouldn't put it past him, but Fowl had seemed. . . mellower, somehow. At any rate, she intended to keep an eye on Draco's situation while they surveyed Lucius Malfoy--he'd better not touch the kid.  
  
It was this twinge of sympathy that led her to nod finally. "All right, I believe you. Keep your memories."  
  
Draco smiled. "Thank you. Losing the memory of you would make my life drearier."  
  
Holly rolled her eyes, but had to fight a smile. "Yeah, keep trying to charm me, human. Maybe you'll get better at it."  
  
Draco sighed. Artemis smirked.  
  
"Right then. We still have to return everyone. I need to mind-wipe that Goyle person back at your Manor, too."  
  
Once again, Artemis, Butler, and Draco sat in Dumbledore's office. Artemis was explaining. "I don't know if Riddle meant for Lockhart to be the one to pick up the diary or not. I suppose so, since he had Ginny rip out some pages and leave them in the DADA classroom. At any rate, he wanted another means to ensure that he would live. Once Lockhart stumbled upon the pages, he was pulled in the same way Ginny was."  
  
"And your involvement in this began--how?" the headmaster asked.  
  
"I discovered some papers of Lockhart's that detailed how he was planning to revive Voldemort," Draco volunteered. "I told Fowl. He's good at strategy."  
  
"It never occurred to you to tell me? Or perhaps Prof. Snape?" Dumbledore regarded them both with raised eyebrows.  
  
"We were confident we could handle it," Artemis replied while Draco stared at the ceiling.  
  
"I see. And the fairies Mr. Potter mentioned?"  
  
"You know, regular old fairies. Lockhart was going to drain their magic to come back to life using some Dark spell."  
  
Dumbledore gave them a knowing look. 'How much does he know?' Artemis wondered. He wouldn't put anything past the man.  
  
Dumbledore didn't ask any more about them, however, so Artemis was left wondering. Instead, he said, "So Mr. Potter removed the table blocking your shot, Mr. Fowl fired an Impedimentia charm to slow down Lockhart's spell. It slowed it enough that the forcefield reappeared, and his Obliviate rebounded and he hit himself. Meanwhile, Mr. Malfoy had set the remaining pages of the diary on fire, thus ending Voldemort's possession."  
  
"Yeah, I didn't know what they were planning, so I didn't know they were going to move the table. But Riddle thought I was on his side, so I got to where I could shoot at him around the barrier."  
  
"You seem to have rid us of the threat of Voldemort twice now, Mr. Malfoy, but each time you refuse to allow your name to be mentioned. Is there a reason for this?" Dumbledore asked gently.  
  
Draco looked him straight in the eye. "I have to protect my family. Too many people these days are Voldemort sympathizers. I wouldn't want anything getting back to the wrong ears."  
  
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Of course. Well, I awarded Mr. Potter another 100 points, and will do the same for you, Mr. Fowl. I'm afraid Slytherin is still behind Gryffindor by 60 points."  
  
Draco clenched his jaw but said nothing.  
  
"What about the professor? Will he be all right?" Butler asked.  
  
"Well, he will eventually, I suppose. He won't be finishing out the year, though. I had to send him off to St. Mungo's. Obliviate must be his best spell. He has no clue who he is. Strange, you'd think it would have made him less annoying. . . I'm glad I was able to delegate Minerva to take him." He paused thoughtfully. "She looked a bit put out with me, though. Especially once I told her Severus was filling in for him until the end of school. Lemon drop?"  
  
They shook their heads. Draco was biting his lip to keep from laughing.  
  
Dumbledore walked them to his office door. "Pleasure to talk to you again, Mr. Butler." Butler nodded at him.  
  
They were on the first few steps of the stairs when Dumbledore called after them. "Oh, boys. . . I just wanted to say how pleased I am that the two of you have put aside your differences in order to work together." He smiled at them, eyes twinkling. "Thirty points. Each."  
  
The Slytherin Common Room was crowded. "Where have you been?" Pansy demanded as she bounded over to Draco.  
  
"Earning House points." He gave her a cheeky grin, but he really wasn't in the mood to socialize. He had a lot to reflect on. "It's still early for a Saturday night, but I'm going to the dorm, Pansy. I'm tired."  
  
Their comrades were pressing around them now. Crabbe and Goyle looked concerned, and Eva was staring at Artemis in annoyance.  
  
"You did it again, didn't you?" she scolded. "You went off and got into some mess. With Malfoy, yet. Is it all taken care of? You could have asked your friends for help, you know."  
  
This was a bit of a startling concept. "It was too complicated," Artemis said after a moment. "But don't worry. It's over and done."  
  
Draco pushed his way through the crowd as Eva and Zabini tried to drag Artemis over to the couch. Artemis watched Malfoy disappear down the stairs. Shouldn't the other boy look happier?  
  
Draco sat down on the edge of his bed and stared at his trunk. He'd just braved the wrath of his father to help stop another of Voldemort's plots. He'd breached his own manor, fought against monsters, been stolen away from his companions to face his father, escaped from Avery all alone, pretended to switch sides, killed Riddle--again, watched his father be stunned helpless, almost had his mind wiped, and then had to explain it all to Dumbledore. His emotions had been going haywire, skipping around between fear and hope and despair.  
  
But still. . . they'd accomplished their mission, right? Father was unaware of his part in it all. Everything would be fine now. Right?  
  
He'd have to go home for the summer soon. He was pretty sure his father was going to be in a bad mood.  
  
He looked up when Fowl entered the room. His fellow Slytherin seemed almost. . . hesitant.  
  
"Malfoy."  
  
"Fowl."  
  
Artemis came and stood in front of Draco, consciously forcing himself not to fidget or tug at his robe sleeves. "Well, we made it."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You can relax now."  
  
Draco shrugged. "Yeah."  
  
Artemis took a deep breath. "It's been--nice--working with you."  
  
"Yeah?" Draco frowned doubtfully. Did Fowl mean it?  
  
"Well. . . yes. I'm glad you've changed your mind about becoming a Death Eater. You'd be wasted on them."  
  
Very slowly, Draco started to smile. "It has been nice. And how cunning would it be to fight as a Death Eater if you were on the opposite side? Slytherins like winning, after all. You'll make that difficult for them, I think."  
  
The corners of Artemis's mouth turned up. "Thanks."  
  
"So. . . our truce is still on, then."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Yes. Good." Draco was grinning now.  
  
"23, 24, 25 Galleons," the boy finished counting rather bitterly. "I can't believe you bet against your own House."  
  
Luna Lovegood shrugged as his companion finished paying off Ginny Weasley. "I'd seen him play chess before. There was no way Kinklestaff could have beaten him."  
  
Kinklestaff tossed his head, stood up from the chessboard, and stalked away with his two friends. Ginny turned to Fowl. "Good job," she told him.  
  
"He wasn't as much of a challenge as your brother." Fowl looked up from putting the board away. "He was good, though."  
  
"Yes. You're just better."  
  
Artemis smiled smugly.  
  
"I hear Slytherin and Gryffindor are tied for the House Cup," Lovegood remarked as she tucked her money away.  
  
The two nodded.  
  
"Only six weeks to go," she said lightly, then waved goodbye.  
  
That left Artemis and Ginny alone. "How are you and Malfoy doing these days?" she asked him.  
  
"Surprisingly well. We're still rivals, of course."  
  
"Of course." She smiled.  
  
"But. . . yes. We're doing well."  
  
"Good. Because I hear him coming."  
  
Artemis listened. Malfoy's distinctive drawl was indeed coming up the stairs.  
  
"Anyway, I've got astronomy homework. I'll see you around."  
  
Ginny brushed past Malfoy as he came in the door. They exchanged a look, but no words.  
  
Malfoy lounged against the wall by the door. "Was I right? Did she bet on the match?"  
  
"She did. She won 25 Galleons."  
  
Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "Good for her."  
  
"Where are you headed?"  
  
"The library."  
  
"Me, too. I'm meeting Zabini there."  
  
"Ah. Walk together?"  
  
"Just let me get my bag."  
  
"Hey--did you know they have that Muggle-photo of Lockhart hanging in the teacher's staffroom? They're using it for a dart board."  
  
Even Artemis Fowl had to laugh at that.  
  
They ended up losing the House Cup by 23 points. The Second Years were consoling themselves in the Common Room after the Feast.  
  
"Did you remember to pack everything, Draco?"  
  
He sighed. "Yes, Pansy."  
  
"Promise you'll owl me," Marie was demanding of Blaise.  
  
"Of course I will. You, too, Artemis."  
  
"Oh. Thanks." Artemis thought about this. To actually keep in touch with his schoolmates over the summer? As if they actually were--friends--who meant something? Instead of just people who took time away from his money- making schemes?  
  
Well--it couldn't hurt anything.  
  
For some reason, Mrs. Fowl had gotten the idea to meet her son in London, so she, Juliet, and Butler would be waiting for him at King's Cross Station.  
  
Granger caught him on the train ride. "Glad to be going home?"  
  
"For awhile, I suppose."  
  
"I know what you mean." She smiled at him.  
  
"Any plans?"  
  
"No. . . just to hang out with my folks."  
  
They stood awkwardly for a moment. "So. . . I guess I'll see you next year."  
  
"Owl me, Fowl."  
  
He blinked.  
  
"Or e-mail me, if you prefer."  
  
The corners of his mouth turned up. "I'll e-mail you."  
  
"I'll write down my address."  
  
Artemis returned to his compartment. He squeezed past Millicent, who was threatening Goyle: "That was my pumpkin pastry! My last one, too! I should smack you!"  
  
He avoided the seat next to Pansy, who was polishing her nails despite strong protests from all the boys. "Parkinson, it smells!"  
  
"Zabini, you can't hex her for that. She'll open the window."  
  
"But I'm sitting by the window!"  
  
"Stuff it, Draco, I have to look nice. All my family's coming to meet me. I have to impress the cousins. They think they're so wonderful."  
  
He sat down next to Bole instead, who gave him a bright smiled and offered him a chocolate frog. He took it.  
  
So, it looked like he'd be writing a lot of letters over the holidays. Oh well. He could handle that.  
  
He reached the end of the steps and alighted on the platform. He immediately noticed Lucius Malfoy waiting nearby with a blonde woman.  
  
"Is that your mother?" he whispered to Draco.  
  
"Yeah," he whispered back. "Crabbe, Goyle, get my trunk."  
  
They did. Once their bulk blocked Draco's parents' view of them, Draco turned and looked at Artemis. "Well, Fowl. Don't commit too many felonies over the summer."  
  
"Malfoy. Don't get involved in any Dark Arts rituals."  
  
Neither boy quite understood that strange feeling in their chest, nor could they explain their strange hesitation to say goodbye. It wasn't like they were friends--obviously, they couldn't miss each other--so there must be some other explanation than sudden, sharp loneliness.  
  
"I'll owl you," Draco finally burst out, heart beating too hard and too quick.  
  
"I'll owl back," Artemis replied quietly, no hesitation. Why not? He was owling everyone else. And for some reason, he felt more cheerful after agreeing.  
  
One last look and a nod, and then Draco followed his trunk to his parents.  
  
Artemis continued on down the platform when a squeal caught his attention. "Artemis! Artemis!" He cringed, turned and looked. Juliet was hopping about, waving madly. He noticed Butler was wincing as well.  
  
He closed the distance and then his mother was hugging him. It only lasted a moment, but it was strangely warming.  
  
"How was your year? Do you like being a wizard? Do you like Hogwarts? Will you go back next year?"  
  
It wasn't the heady satisfaction of having a plan come together, or the feeling of superiority in the conviction that you're the smartest person you've ever come across. He hadn't found the complete formula for alchemy yet (could he manage some more searching over the summer?) or found his father (but he hadn't given up that search, either). Yet, as Artemis contemplated his answer, he realized he felt. . . content. And it was a good feeling.  
  
"Oh, I'll be going back," he said with a half-smile. "I'll definitely be going back."  
  
Here ends Year Two. More is yet to come. . .  
  



End file.
